EP 06: How To Dye Fabric From Food Scraps With Designer Maria Elena Pombo

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Episode Length: 59:25

Maria Elena Pombo is a designer from Venezuela who uses natural dyeing techniques to ignite conversations about society, culture and the environment. She hosts workshops, demonstrations and presentations showcasing how to dye fabric with food scraps such as avocado seeds and onion skins. In 2018, she launched her first collection featuring timeless silhouettes dyed millennial pink with avocado seeds. Listen in for an inspiring conversation about the magical, mystical world of natural dyeing!

Resources

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Show Notes

  • On growing up in Venezuela and how that introduced her to the dangers of nature

  • How moving to New York made Maria Elena more aware of seasonal influences

  • Where natural dyes originated from and why Maria Elena became fascinated with the world of natural dyeing

  • How her partner’s desire to create custom colors for his bag company propelled her onto her true path

  • How to know what materials you can/cannot sue for natural dyeing

  • An overview of how to extract color from natural materials

  • If you don’t use fixatives, dyeing takes a lot longer

  • Why trial and error is the best way to naturally dye

  • All about Indigo dyeing

  • Misconceptions about natural dyeing

  • Fragmentario’s workshops - connecting natural dyeing to societal and environmental conversations

  • Maria Elena’s first collection for Fragmentario made from the color of fabric dyed with avocado seeds

  • The link between natural dyeing and water quality

  • The circular economy of natural dyes

  • Where to start if you’re interested in dyeing with natural materials

  • How do dye with onion skins

  • How to dye with avocado seeds

  • Why there’s a resurgence of interest in natural dyes

  • The last five questions

The Last Five Questions

  1. What is your favorite place in nature?

    The beach

  2. What is the animal, mineral or plant that resonates with you the most?

    La Mandioca (Cassava)

  3. What is one thing we can do right now to connect with the natural world and bring more harmony into our lives?

    I think appreciate it more and don’t ask from it, give to it.

  4. What’s the greatest lesson nature has taught you?

    There’s a lot of harmony. Everything is assigned how it’s assigned for a reason.

  5. Nature brings me…

    Calm

Gratitude List

This podcast would not be possible without the group of talented individuals below. I offer them my sincerest thanks and love.

episodesAlyssa Benjaminnatural dyeing, water, natural materials, fashion, food scraps, the last five questions