Week 40 DIY Draped Vest

Taking a step away from the complexities of sustainable fashion design, I again chose a synthetic dye to colour this weeks garment.
So convenient, readily available, and affordable, I think I might have payed $2 for the package. Neat and compact, incredibly effective, and available in a rainbow of colours. Who wouldn't be seduced by the rich and intense coloured results.

I now have an immense amount of guilt surrounding this decision. I truly love the final colour, but even while it was brewing on my stove, an awkward, sickly sweet odor, filled my house. I think the hardest part, is not knowing what these dyes consist of and what the true environmental impact is, even on a small household scale. It really hits home when you are literally dumping it in your own back yard.

There is a positive to all of this though, real work is being done to find natural replacements for chemical dyes. The National Science Foundation recently awarded a grant to "develop a technologically advanced textile dye particle originating with plant material that will reduce water pollution, help alleviate stress on constrained water supplies, and improve factory worker health by creating a high performance, low water use natural dye for fabrics. 

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase 1 project will result in a natural dye process that is a healthy alternative to chemical based dyeing of textiles." 

So now that I can breathe easier knowing that change is coming, I can recommend trying your own version of this week's zero-waste design. There are many variations of this DIY draped vest, to use as a jumping off point and the result will always be fabulous! 

I am that I am.