Journal
Meraki Beach
How we use eco-friendly dyes on our clothing
September 3, 2021
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If you've had a look at the products on our site, you've no doubt noticed the colourful and unique patterns on all of our items of clothing. In order to achieve these patterns, we use low-impact dyes, which are a more sustainable and eco-friendly solution than traditional dyes. Today we're going to take a look at why we opted to use this type of dye and the advantages of low-impact dyes over standard dyes that are used on many clothing products
The Benefits of Low-Impact DYE
Here at Meraki Beach, we are dedicated to creating resort wear that's 100% silk hand-dyed in an ethical manner. Our team of workers in Mumbai use low-impact dye for this process, which offers many benefits over typical dyes that are used in the clothing industry. A low-impact dye is a type of dye that has been classified by the Oeko-Tex standard 100 as eco-friendly. This is an international certification process that is well-respected by clothing manufacturers worldwide and certifies that the dyes we are using are far less damaging to the environment. Generally, low impact dyes don't contain any toxic chemicals or mordants, and all of our dyes are azo-free. They require much less rinsing and have a high absorption rate in the fabric, which helps save water during the production process.
HOW WE DYE OUR FABRIC
As well as opting to use eco-friendly low-impact dye, we are passionate about the unique dyeing process that we use to create each piece in our collection. The method we use is called Shibori, which is a Japanese style of dyeing fabric. This is a hand dyeing technique that very few companies use, and it means that every piece is unique. It results in beautiful eye-catching pieces but takes many years to master. Shibori has been passed down through many generations, and here at Meraki Beach, we are proud to be continuing this beautiful way of working.
The Shibori method involves folding each item of clothing in a particular manner before it's tied up with string. The shape of the string is what prevents the dye from penetrating this area and allows us to create one of a kind patterns for your clothing items. Shibori can be used to create patterns of all shapes and sizes, and thanks to the different ways in which the fabric can be folded, we can make intricate patterns like you've never seen before. Once the fabric is removed from the dye, it's then washed with cold water, revealing the patterns and colours created by this method. It's an ethical way of dyeing fabric that our incredible team of female workers is very skilled at using.
So much effort goes into each item in our collection, and we are passionate about how each piece of clothing is created. Opting to use eco-friendly dyes and a traditional dyeing method is something we are incredibly proud of, and we hope you will enjoy exploring our full range of clothing and admiring the skill that goes into creating these unique designs.