News

As part of our continuing collaboration with Folkwear Sewing Patterns, we're making up a number of their designs in Botanica TInctoria materials.  Currently, we're working out details for the English Smock - see the pattern here - and we're testing out different smocking designs. Smocking involves a lot of preparation, but results in a beautiful, elastic fabric.  We've been working with our organic cotton voile in Terra Cotta and Eri silk embroidery threads, and you can see our first test piece below.

Botanica Tinctoria is delighted to be included in the new sustainable sourcing site for theatre and film costuming, We Are Albert. We regularly get inquiries from film costumers since our colours are historically accurate, especially for 19th C. European women's clothing, and our materials have made some starring appearances - we can't say where!

We're delighted to now be working with Organic Cotton Plus in the U.S.A. If you are an American customer, you can order our materials online at:  http://organiccottonplus.com/

Our Eri Silk Embroidery Threads are among our most popular items. The organic Eri silk is raised and spun by indigenous communities in Jharkhand, India as part of a local economic initiative.  The beautiful, harmonious colours are all dyed using natural dyes in our closed loop dyeing system.  The stranded threads are smooth and easy to work with - you can choose to stitch with a single strand or all 8 strands, making them ideal for blending - and your embroidery will be lustrous, not shiny, giving a very contemporary look to your stitching.

In September, Botanica Tinctoria took part in the Sustainable Angle's Future Fabrics Expo in London.  Below is an excerpt from "Weaving the Fabrics We Wear", from the Sustainable Fashion Blog. Check out the beautiful fabrics from the London Cloth Company and Avani Kumaon! 

"The fibres we choose to weave or knit fabrics with can be accountable for a great deal of their negative or positive environmental impact. The beauty of textiles weaving in particular is that a myriad of raw materials can be used to create the most intricate, textured, unique and sustainable materials. Some of the best sustainable fibre examples include naturally dyed organic cotton from Botanica Tinctoria, hand spun wools sourced from British conservation flocks used by the London Cloth Company, and low-impact locally cultivated Indian silk from Avani Kumaon. These are among dozens of mills and designers around the world which are working to reduce their environmental impact, many of which are being showcased by The Sustainable Angle at the Future Fabrics Expo."

Once again, Botanica Tinctoria will be showing at the Future Fabrics Expo in London, UK, Sept. 29-30.  The Expo is a wonderful place to see all the newest in sustainable materials from around the world. If you live in London, stop by to see our trims and threads in person!

Botanica Tinctoria was recently contacted by Naina Bajara who is doing research towards her Master's degree in Ethnobotany and wanted to find out more about how we produce our beautiful natural dye colours! Many thanks to Naina for her thoughtful article - you can read it here: 

http://www.noserialnumber.com/botanica-tinctoria