I have been taking steps to potentially collaborate with an innovative bio-colour brand based in London, with the aim of working towards involving them in natural dye production for the garments. They use both natural dyes (plants), have pioneered microbial colour and are able to scale up to dye longer lengths. We got as far as sampling colours on the fabrics that I am using, but I realised a few weeks ago that they weren’t going to make the deadline for me to be able get the fabric sent off to the manufacturer to make my jackets in time for Fashion On Earth at Bristol Cathedral. Yikes!

However, commissioning natural dyes are costly and their lead time can be weeks or even months to dye the fabrics. The process of natural dyeing is both time consuming and the raw materials cost so much more than what we are used to with petro-chemical based dyes. So for now, as I build SARAH POLAND, the dye work will be done from my studio.

I’ve spent the last two weeks working 14 hour days to get this done in time, dyeing lengths of corduroy and rib. It’s been intense and heavy work too, lifting 1.5m of wet chunky corduroy and moving around heavy pots of water. I invested in another big stainless steel dye pot so it can be heated with gas outdoors - setting up the dye studio for mid-scale production is a step-by-step process, planning infrastructure and equipment.

When creating artwork dye irregularities doesn’t matter so much as it adds visual texture, plus I paint on top of the dyed canvas. But a mark in the wrong place on a garment can look like an unwanted stain. It’s one reason people combine tie-dye or batik with natural dye, the blemishes become disguised. But I want to create a different look than we are used to with natural dye - it’s a challenge to create an even colour - something more chic, by using interesting colour combinations (I’m a colour geek) and beautiful planet conscious fabrics. And let’s face it, there are after all, enough tie-dyers out there.

It’s all worked out and the fabric, grades (different size patterns) and trims have gone off to the manufacturer. It hasn’t been without hiccups, trip ups and hurdles though. One hiccup, was that I dyed 4 lengths of fabric (6m) and discovered that the new 100 litre dye pot that I had invested in, had several small rust spots. It was an expensive pot and when it arrived it wasn’t the quality I was hoping for, but with time short I gave it a go.

When ferrous sulphate (iron rust) mixes with tannin (inherent in certain plant colours) it changes the colour - this created unwanted spots and I had to start again with new dye extract and to heat up a new vat of hot water. I have had a refund on the pot and will use the fabric elsewhere but when time was short and a risk of not having enough fabric, it did ad an extra stress! The fabric won’t be wasted though, at a later date I’ll dip it in a dye pot again and modify the colour.

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Inspired by 1950s coffee culture (think Beat Generation), 90s London + an inner rock chick fused with the colours of natural dyes.

Coffee bar, intimate gig + cocktail cool, with quality + sustainability at its core.