For those of you unable to attend Focus 2018, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour was alive with colour. The McKinney Gainsborough showroom was no exception, with a gorgeous array of fabrics draped across the back wall, showing our on-trend seasonal palate of imperial yellow and pale pink Cathay and glorious green John Soane Damask.
These three fabrics formed the basis for our Access all Areas workshop with AO Textiles – an undisputed success, with a natural dyeing demonstration of Gainsborough flax (linen), cotton, silk and wool into a solution of buckthorn. The AO team also prepared hanks dyed in imperial yellow, pale pink and damask green to match our season’s colours, and to dispel any notions that these wonderful bold and beautiful colours cannot be achieved using natural dyes.
AO Textiles, experts in natural dyeing and leaders in reintroducing natural dyeing into the commercial sphere, have partnered with Gainsborough on a number of commissions to great success. At a time when designers and their clients are becoming increasingly aware of environmental and sustainability issues, natural dyeing can go a long way towards answering those questions within the manufacturing process.
If you would like to explore weaving a fabric using naturally dyed yarns, we would love to hear from you!
