Member Masterclass: Textile Dyeing with Food Waste

Member Events

In this masterclass, artist and designer Lauren MacDonald will teach the fundamentals of botanical textile dyeing with dyestuffs sourced from household food waste. We'll go over some basic notes on materials, process and best practice, as well as three recipes for botanical food waste dyes. In this masterclass, we'll discuss responsible material use and the surprising beauty that can be found in objects which would otherwise be thrown away.

Participants should bring one to two items of clothing to dye (these should be white or light coloured; of a small or medium size such as socks, t-shirts, tote bags, shawls, shorts, or light skirts; and made of natural fibre such as cotton, linen, silk, wool or viscose but NOT polyester or acrylic), as well as bringing three plastic bags without holes to take the dyed and wet items home in, as these will be wet.

Lauren MacDonald is a multidisciplinary artist and designer. Her approach and aesthetic have been tempered through academic studies in Material Culture and Textile Science, vocational experience in the London Fashion Industry, and an ongoing obsession with materiality, form, and functionality. Her practice is textile focussed and spans interaction design, installation, sculpture and 2 dimensional stitched forms.

Image credits: 'Yellow Dye Bath' photo courtesy of Charlie McKay, 'Avocado Dye Bath' and other images by Lauren MacDonald, instagram @working_cloth