In our ongoing exploration of material and process, this season we created a 100% wool bowling shirt using an in-house developed eco-dye method. Driven by our commitment to slow fashion and mindful making, we set out to experiment with natural dyeing techniques that produce subtle, grounded tones — colours that feel unearthed rather than applied.
We began with a base dye bath using eucalyptus leaves. Our aim was to push beyond typical earthy stains and move into deeper territories — rich greys and muted purples that speak to decay, mystery, and layered time. The first result leaned too warm: yellows, rust, soft ambers. Beautiful, but not the tonal world we were searching for. So we adjusted the recipe.
Adding iron sulphate combined with avocado skins and red cabbage to the strained bath transformed the tone dramatically — a key to pulling out greys and deeper purples. The reaction was instant. The liquid darkened to near-black, and our wool became stormy, full of life and bruise-toned complexity.
We created the final recipe for our dye supplier:
• Pre-wash the fabric to remove oils.
• Prepare the bath with eucalyptus, avocado skin, and red cabbage.
• Simmer for a few hours
• Add iron sulphate, stir until the bath turns dark.
• Submerge damp wool for a few hours.
• Rinse thoroughly and hang dry.
We love how the final material feels: unpredictable, subtle, and unique to the hand that made it. No two pieces can be the same.
This shirt is part of the TEGEN collection — a reflection on balance, opposition, and duality. Using organic matter to create something precise is a contradiction we embrace.
