COLLABORATORY Archives - The Colours of Nature

LS&Co. funded water reduction work continues

25 October 2017: Implementation of the LS&Co. funded Collaboratory project to reduce water usage continues at The Colours of Nature. As part of the new natural indigo fermentation dyeing facility which will help reduce water usage, from fibre to fashion, new, larger vats will be fabricated and installed. Again, an Auroville-based construction unit is on the job. The Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) has already produced some of the vats currently installed at TCoN and the casting mold is already in place. They were clearly the right choice for the order of an additional 40 pots, each holding 1,000 litres of the liquid used for dip-dyeing. The drawings that serve as a basis for the making of these bio fermenter vessels, or amphoras, were produced by Jesus for The Colours of Nature. Contrary to the pots installed at the beginnings of this natural dye unit, the seam now runs vertically as opposed to horizontally as was previously the case. For more information, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesus-ciriza-larraona-34191031 #LSCollab @levistraussco.

LS & Co. Collaboratory Field Notes: The IOU Project

19 September 2017: Kavita Parmar, the Founder and Creative Director of the IOU Project (and Jesus Ciriza Larraona’s fellow Collaboratory participant), another one passionate about a more socially and environmentally responsible apparel industry, recently shared on her project’s progress on the LS&Co. Unzipped blog. At The Colours of Nature, we appreciate both her reference to Utopias and her mention of our delicious eco-friendly natural dye unit, based in what is often referred to as a Utopia – Auroville. Kavita has done a lot of work to spread awareness on traceability and the empowerment of artisans and is glad to report a sense of these issues now becoming at least a little bit more mainstream. In love with the Madras checks (who isn’t?!?), the IOU work directly with hand loom weavers in south India and are now busy making their signature product, “the real madras shirt”, using less water. They, too, know about the importance of water and want to both save and safeguard. Makes sense, then, that Kavita and team, as they state, are “exploring using the natural dyes developed at The Colours of Nature”. We will certainly be happy to explore together! #LSCollab @TheColoursofNatureEcoDyes www.theiouproject.com #WhoMadeMyClothes www.levistrauss.com/unzipped-blog/2017/08/collaboratory-notes-field-iou-project