Botanical Inks
Natural Dye House
Pioneers of large scale natural dyeing in the UK, including producing the Bristol Cloth Project. The aim it to offer natural dye services in the UK, with organic natural dyes. Focused on using a local soil-to-soil systems based on “biological nutrients” ie all materials are locally sourced and free from synthetic/petro-chemical content. Therefore 100% biodegradable.
What is so amazing about working with British wool/natural dyes? It’s a local fibre that suits this landscape in its farming and also for its use. Needs minimal cleaning/ is self cleaning. The best natural fibre in the world for using with natural dyes as it takes up and holds onto the colour impeccably well, without the necessity to use a mordant. Having a local fibreshed network of suppliers who have become friends and allies. Natural dyes are safe to work with in terms of respiratory health and skin care. They are herbal in fact and beneficial to the skin and bodies in most cases. Harvesting dyes is an opportunity to engage with the local landscape and get outdoors more. Natural dyes are our heritage and they suit us in our landscape, they reflect the land from which we come from and dwell within, are a camouflage and a conduit for connection. The plant colour have depth and radiance which can never be equalled by the flat synthetic colours which contain one or two pigments, rather than the complexity of hundreds of pigments found in living colours.
If any/ what have been your challenges with working with these dyes and a local way of working? Mostly I have found the issue to be that people have an expectancy for clothing, textiles, dyeing to be cheap, because they have become accustomed to the accessibility of cheap clothing etc..The main challenge at hand is re-educating people about the true cost and value of things which are made by people, locally, with natural materials and in a responsible way. ....Also having access to larger dye facilities in the South West. I have a small dye studio and hire spaces in commercial dye houses in the North for larger scale jobs. I have done r+d to set up a natural dye house in SW England and find the costs of machinery, equipment and space hire to be restrictive.
What weaving looms do you use and how many do you have? I work with BWM who use an industrial Dormier loom set, 156 cm width.
Do you finish onsite? If not, is it convenient or what would be your ideal situation? We finish in a separate mill using only water and organic castille soap.
Do you find a lot of push back in the industry in terms of working with Natural Dyes? No, when I approach mills they are very keen and curious to work with me and learn from me as its a an emergent trend/market for them.
Do you find that customers are becoming more interested in Natural Dyes? Yes, its growing in momentum rapidly in the last 10 years.
On a scale of 1- 10 (1 being the lowest and 10 excellent) how much do you think your business has improved in the below areas as a result of good working practices and environmental standards?
Waste Production - 7 (off-cuts, production)
Plastic Pollution - 5 (packaging)
Water Waste - 2 (dyeing and finishing)
Energy Consumption - 10 (shipping, machinery etc)