KATHRYN DAVEY COLLECTION

naturally dyed organic cotton essentials

We are so excited to have worked with Kathryn Davey, a designer and natural dyer based in Dublin, to dye a range of our organic cotton underwear and handwoven towels. Kathryn expertly dyes natural fibres such as linen, wool, and in this case cotton, to create beautiful pieces.

In line with our own values, her studio works sustainably dyeing all their products by hand and using only natural substances like plant extracts. Kathryn dyed our underwear, vests and our towels in three beautiful colours: dusty terracotta, wild heather and pink clay.

Before the underwear and towels were dyed, Kathryn produced a beautiful range of swatches, experimenting with how the organic cotton jersey took different dye extracts and mordant combinations.

This was a very exciting stage as we have been long time admirers of Kathryn’s ability to produce such deep and complex colours and combinations of shades.

Between us, we then selected 3 shades, all deriving from the extracts of the heartwood of the Acacia Catechu Tree - a small thorny tree native to South Asia, grown in Indonesia, East Africa and tropical America, as illustrated.

Before the dyeing can begin, the first step involves washing and scouring the items to remove any residual oils that remain in the cotton fibres which might affect the way the dye is taken. The items are then soaked in a bath.

Once the garments are ready, a dye bath is created using Kathryn’s tested recipes and heated at exactly the right temperature. The items are submerged and soaked carefully to create a very even coverage of dye. This process is repeated several times to create the depth of shade that is required.

To create each unique colour, a different mordant is added to the dye bath or alternatively the garments are soaked beforehand.

For our new collection, Iron, Alumn and Soda Ash were used to create the distinctive range of shades. Kathryn explains that this part involves a lot of experimentation and it can often be a process of trial and error to find the right colour. But, this is all part and parcel of carefully dyeing by hand and we completely love the range of colours she has experimented to create.

After the items have been hung to dry, they are ready to go! We are so pleased with them and knowing and understanding all the different steps that went into their creation, makes them even more special.

You can find out more about Kathryn by visiting her website here and discover our naturally dyed collection here.