The top five boundaries that have given us clarity and nourishment in our creative process.
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Dye methods that require excessive water use.
While not many people aware that Bali, our home island, is experiencing water crisis, it is happening. Refused excessive water use and replace with methods that help to contribute even in a small scale is what we've chosen, such as transition from immersion dye to low-water immersion dye, which gives us totally different result and impact toward the land and the water.
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Foraging way more than what we need.
Lesson learned from our past, where we foraged like it was for twenty people but it was only for ten. Although we kept most of the remaining plants and dried them for future use, still, it was not neccesary.
Borrowing few parts of the great Robin Wall Kimmerer's wise message, "Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need. Take only that which is given. Never take more than half. Leave some for others. Harvest in a way that minimizes harm. Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken. Share. Give thanks for what you have been given."
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Plastic sheets and ropes as ecoprint barriers.
The use of plastic sheets as resist or barrier cloth in order to make an ecoprinted piece "flawless" or look more "advanced", have sadly become common in ecoprinting. Even when a plastic barrier is reused, the micro plastics being fused into a fabric during the steaming/ boiling process create more problem in the long run. Not only to the skin, but also to the waste water that wash the fabrics, which eventually goes to the soil, the river, the ocean.
We don't use plastic in our ecoprinted works, and chose to work and celebrate the natural characteristics and alchemy of plants, the way we believe everyone has beautiful imperfection and we shall celebrate our authentic selves.
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Inquiries that are not aligned with our values.
The inquiry to dye 100 meters in three-week time. The requirement of precise colors as if dye plant palette is equal to pant*ne's. The request to lock the dyes "permanently". The hesitation to follow guidelines on how to take care of naturally-dyed fabrics.
At the end of the day...
Natural dye is not a trend and it certainly is not for the faint of heart.
It's not about right or wrong inquiry.
It's simply different views, values, and understanding in natural dyeing.
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Unhealthy and unfair collaboration.
There's a beautiful saying that stated, 'if you want to walk fast, walk alone, and if you want to walk far, walk together', which translates to: collaborate, co-create, to be able to walk far.
This is so true at the heart of heart.
And we believe, to sustain the journey, we shall treat each other fairly. It is mandatory for us to respect, appreciate and celebrate each other while we're walking together.
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If you're a customer or user of naturally-dyed products, how deep do you care about the truth of process behind a beautiful product?
If you're a natural dyer, what are the things you say no to in your practice?