Natural Dye FAQ & Product Care
Handmade Acknowledgement:
- Variations in color and dye design will occur.
- All of our products are handmade in small batches. Please allow up to a two-week turnaround for production.
Why Natural Dyes?
- Biodegradable, non-toxic and non-allergenic: Natural dyes have a lower environmental impact than synthetic dyes. The natural dyeing process is better for human health since there are no harsh chemicals used. It’s estimated that 17-20% of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing with toxic runoff entering rivers before making its way to oceans and causing harm to marine life.
- Regenerative: Made from renewable resources, our natural dyes are restoring the environment and support sustainable rural industries. Our dye crops are grown regeneratively and we compost used plant matter from our dye vats at our farm, increasing the range of useful outputs and providing environmentally sound alternatives to other products. We are building soil health and supporting local environmental health.
- Community & Connection: Natural dyes reconnect us with the land, its seasons and its processes. We are cultivating a community around the art of natural dyeing, fostering connections through sustainability collecting food waste from restaurant partnerships in Austin, and supporting artisan textile traditions.
About Our Natural Dye:
Our natural dye plants are grown on the Refugee Collective Farm, a 20-acre fully certified organic and regenerative farm, in Elgin, Texas.
- Mint Marigold: natural dye made from Mexican Mint Marigold plants, sometimes known as Texas Tarragon, a native plant to Central Texas. We harvest all 800 marigolds every fall by cutting off the tops of the plants, allowing for yearly regrowth. The entire plant is used for the natural dying process. Produces a mustard yellow color.
- Olive: natural dye made from Mexican Mint Marigold plants, sometimes known as Texas Tarragon, a native plant to Central Texas. We harvest all 800 marigolds every fall by cutting off the tops of the plants, allowing for yearly regrowth. The entire plant is used for the natural dying process. An earthy brown / green color is produced when we use ferrous sulfate iron salts in our Mexican Mint Marigold dye to "sadden" the color. Ferrous sulfate is the same as iron supplements we take for an iron deficiency in our bodies.
- Carrot Yellow: a bright pastel yellow color, we use carrot top leaves from our carrot harvest at the farm, utilizing food scraps for color before composting.
- Moss: a bright pastel green color, uses ferrous sulfate iron salts in our carrot top leaves dye to "sadden" and shift the color from yellow to green. Ferrous sulfate is the same as iron supplements we take for an iron deficiency in our bodies.
- Avocado Blush: a rosy hue of a blush pink color, we partner with local restaurants, collecting avocado pit & skin to create our dye with shared sustainable practices.
- Ember: a gray / purple color, uses ferrous sulfate iron salts in our avocado pit & skin dye to "sadden" and shift the color from blush pink to purple gray hue. Ferrous sulfate is the same as iron supplements we take for an iron deficiency in our bodies.
Care:
- Due to our natural dye, fading is possible, so don't wash often.
- Block Printed items may fade over time
- Please hand or machine wash on cold with pH neutral soap only.
- Lay flat to dry and limit sun exposure
- For the optional pillow insert – machine wash on cold and machine dry on low (add dryer balls for extra fluff).