An Open Studio event and product launch for Threads of Life

To celebrate the launch of a new product line, Farmer to Fabric, Threads of Life opened their natural dye garden and studio to the public for an afternoon.

Guests were able to visit 6 stations demonstrating different parts of the natural dye process, take a mini-tour of the dye garden, purchase fabrics, learn about the workshops available, and talk to the team about any specific questions they had.

About Farmer to Fabric:

The Farmer to Fabric collection of hand-dyed natural-dyed fabrics brings the production values of our partner weaving communities to the work of our own dye studio in rural Bali: we use natural dyes by natural processes, avoiding synthetic additives; we work by hand, so that the mastery of our in-house dyers is evident in the look and feel of every unique piece; and we source our dyes directly from the farmers we have trained to grow and process the dyes.

This collection builds on natural dye practices with indigo, Ceriops-brown, mud-black, Morinda-red, and other traditional colours that we have studied since 1998 in collaboration with indigenous weavers across Indonesia. Through this research we have been able to discover where the transmission of knowledge between generations had broken down and facilitate revitalisation of traditions. With Farmer to Fabric we can now also support sustainable cultivation and use of the dye plants as a way of supporting the husbands of the weavers we work with.

Around 50 people joined the event. Many were long time supporters of Threads of Life but had never had the opportunity to visit the dye studio or learn more about the processes behind the beautiful colors of Indonesia’s textiles.

The beautiful cloth tag we designed for the Farmer to Fabric line. Screen-printed and hand-sewn to create pockets for the information about each piece.