In 2005 I was invited to present at the United Nations and India Crafts Council Symposium on Natural Dyes that was held in 2007 in Hyderabad India. I presented two papers, one on Standards for an Industry, featuring the standards proposed by Tyria, the International Guild of Professional Natural Dyers, that has been certifying Natural Dyers and Dyeworks for several years. The other was presented on behalf of Nicolas of the Logwood Project, explaining what it is like to be a Natural Dye producer.
Once in the country I determined to explore a bit and to visit several of the larger scale, professional Natural Dyers who invited me from the conference. Out of this came the Meditation Mandala Cloth, the Ahimsa silk ikats, and all the Ahimsa silk fabrics, as well as the Naturally dyed colours on the Light and Bright Tussah, the woven Organic cotton and the knit Organic cotton.
Most dear to my heart has been the enfolding of the Artist Empowerment Project:
The first effort of this project has resulted in the entire line of Good-4-U Garments, the first truely eco, absolutely 100% natural and 100% healthy for you to wear garments in the last 150 year (since synthetic dyes were introduced).
Already, earnings from this project have allowed one large extended family in the way out back of central India to drill a well to provide water to their family and neighborhood. During a recent influx of religious pilgrims to their small town, they were honored to be able to provide drinking water. This in an overgrown village that receives municiple running water only once every two to three days. Needless to say, dyework is done with an absolute minumum of water, no more than it takes to wash the garment, and the nice part is this adds lots of Abrajz and character variegation to the colour!
Pictured: Hand block printing is an ancient technique in India. Here, at a city studio, in an airy and light room, helpers block print with natural dyes on 30 yard lengths of fabric. The owner of this dyeworks has partnered with us to provide training and supplies to the Artist Development Project in a distant small town.
The Artist Development Project is partnered with "Mama D.O.C." Inc., a 501-c-3 US NGO devoted to natural health in all forms. Donations are always accepted, and are fully tax deductable.
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