FOR THE LOVE OF COLOURS
We’re adding to our range of tops: natural dyed with indigo, myrobalan, common madder plants, and fermented iron, a parallel of deliberate waiting and patience are the undercurrent necessary to its making. From the 2 days needed to prepare the dye paste (15 for fermented iron), repetitive cycle of dyeing and drying, to the finishing of the fabrics – time governs the natural dye process.
It is a traditional craft that dates back to thousands of years. Today the few who still know how to dye naturally often work with chemicals because they can not manage to find a demand for their skill. Creating a need for natural dye allows for the conservation of the craft. It also creates work by hand, providing employment and a safe environment to dyers. On top of that, less than two hundred years ago the whole world still wore natural dyes every day – it is one of the most sustainable dyeing options out there.
Read more about the process on our journal
These tops are dyed and stitched in Ahmedabad by Indigenous Industries. We visited them during our time in India, and though we were only there for 3 days we quickly found kinship in the values that ground both our missions. With a focus on natural dyes, the team takes pride in being able to provide employment and a safe environment to their dyers, for them to be able to carry their families’ skills forward and express themselves with something they feel proud and strongly about.
4 colourways, 2 styles – these newest additions are natural dyed, two of them are made from banana fibre, and the other two from khadi cotton.
“As much as possible we prefer natural dye, it brings so much character to the fabric. There is no industrial perfection here. With handmade craft, we have to leave room for imperfections, it’s all a part of its beauty.”
Get to know our artisan partners behind this range
The Pyramid Tops are made from banana fibres. As in, the actual edible fruit itself. Made from banana fibre and woven on a dobby loom, take note of the detailed dotted patterns that occur as a natural beauty of the process.
The Cross-Back Tops on the other hand (new style alert) are handspun and handwoven in khadi cotton. If it’s familiar to you – it’s likely because we’ve used this material in the past with The Chenelle Jacket. Mahatma Gandhi saw khadi cotton as a symbol of Indian textile heritage. He would encourage people across India to spin their own yarn, to go back to the roots of their heritage with pride while supporting the Khadi industry. It is a fabric that embodies a worldview of the past as well as the future.
Gardener, beekeeper, and writer – Olivia Choong finds her passion in uncovering the beauty and impact of green living. Aligned with a shared intention of environmental consciousness, we wanted to celebrate our range of natural dye tops by featuring Olivia and her growing garden.
MEET THE WOMAN FEATURED IN OUR NATURAL DYE TOPS
