We are happy to announce The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes was released this week written by Permacouture founder Sasha Duerr and published by Timber Press! Full of socially and environmentally engaged recipes for naturally dyeing, and inspired by our work with non-toxic plants and bi-products, The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes is brimming with sustainable tips and colorful projects to encourage beautiful “slow” textiles in everyday living.
THE HANDBOOK OF NATURAL PLANT DYES
Q+A with Timber Press
WHAT ARE “SLOW” TEXTILES?
Sasha: A “slow” perspective is about true care and stewardship for both nature and culture. Slowness doesn’t refer to how long it takes to make or do something, but is about awareness, accountability, and responsibility for our everyday actions, and supporting a more fulfilling experience for ourselves and for our community through a process of full participation. Just like with Slow Food, Slow Fashion and Textiles engage us in the process just as much as the product.
photo by tristan davison
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PLANT-BASED COLOR?
Sasha: Plant-based dyes offer colors that are unusual, varied, and vibrant. Natural dyes harmonize with each other in a way that only botanical colors can. A natural dye, a red for example, will include hints of blue and yellow, whereas a chemically produced red dye contains only a single red pigment, making the color less complex. Even mixing synthetic dyes can rarely if ever achieve the range of shades that natural dyes possess. When you work with organic botanical color sources, you are literally working with living color. The unique qualities of naturally dyed textiles can often make the color vibrate or glow. Plant-based dyes also offer an ecologically friendly alternative to synthetic dyes because they come from plants, which can be renewable nontoxic resources and biodegradable.
WHY DID YOU WRITE THIS BOOK?
Sasha: The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes is about experimentation with organic color recipes from my own kitchen, garden, and community. Books and information on natural dyes are diverse, and dye-producing plants and color recipes differ from region to region. As my love of natural color grew, I realized that many dye recipes have been lost to particular cultures and areas of the world. Through creative re-engagement we can begin to revive these recipes and reconnect with the long history of handmade beautiful and non-toxic color sources. (We can also be innovative and create awe inspiring fresh and contemporary designs!)
HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY DYE PRODUCING PLANTS?
Sasha: The gift of learning to identify plants of this world, the pleasure of growing your own food or useful plants, how to cook, or how to create a color palette from soil to studio are concepts directly related to ecoliteracy. Much of what has become problematic in our modern lives is related to our having forgotten how to connect with simple rhythms of nature. We are often out of sync with the seasons, what plants grow in our bio-regions, and how to recognize them by name. Spending time outside allows you to build a relationship with nature, to know the plants that are harmful, and to recognize those that are useful, as well as those that are common, local, and in season.
The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes: Personalize your Craft with Organic Colors from Acorns, Blackberries, Coffee and Other Everyday Ingredients. Timber Press/Workman. January, 2011.
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