It’s all about the natural colouring…. and the beauty that comes from using botanical dyes is astounding. Our aim by using Botanical dyes is to heighten a global awareness that colour and fashion can be sustainable global brands…that are not only environmentally friendly but also they can support our small cottage industry which is the heart and soul of the Indonesian people.

” As consumers, we have huge power and that purchasing and shopping involve a moral choice. (Anita Roddick) “

Firstly, we start by collecting the raw ingredients, from barks through to flowers and leaves… the plant matter is collected from various trees grown locally and some from other islands within the Indonesian archipelago.

Once the plant matter has been selectively collected, we then take it to our workspace where we spread it out on the ground, to dry the sun.

Once the plant matter is very dry, which can take up to a week or two, depending on the weather conditions, hopefully, the sun is hot and shining.
The plant matter is then put through a mulching machine, this hand-driven machine breaks up the fibers, and from there it goes into big vats where it’s boiled and stirred for up to 10 hours.
This process releases the resins and the color from the plant matter.
Now the colors are ready to be used in the dying process.
Once the fabric’s are dyed they then undergo another treatment, with a mordant, and this assists the colours to be set into the fabric.

After the fabric is dyed the excess water then goes through a total recycle water treatment process, using water hyacinth plants to filter the leftover excess from the dyes.

Once this process to remove any unwanted resin’s etc, the water is so clean and healthy that we are able to put it back and be used on
the rice fields.
Using natural plant matter for dying is not like a commercial chemical dye, the color is much more sensitive and needs to be treated with more care.

As one would treat any piece of heritage cloth.