Projects
Seed Socks
Project commissioned for New York Fashion Week 2011.
Inspired by America's tradition of travelling salesman Studio Swine has created a portable dyer's workshop containing natural dye plants and sustainably sourced bamboo fibre socks. Each pair is hand dyed and comes with a pack of seeds and instructions to cultivate and produce your own plant dyes.
The process of natural dying can be achieved on a kitchen stove with pans and readily available ingredients. 'Seed Socks' aims to instigate the cultivation of dye plants on the windowsills and in the disused gaps throughout the city culminating in a plethora of colourful socks on the streets.
By connecting seasonal fashion with seasonal plants, the experience of nature’s seasonal shifts within the urban environment is amplified. ‘Seed Socks’ offers a sustainable slow alternative to fast fashion.
© STUDIO SWINE 2011
How To Make Blackberry Dye
1. Pick as some blackberries.
2. Mix water and sea salt (16 : 1) put the socks into the mixture and bring it to a boil. When it begins to boil, turn the heat off and leave the socks to soak in the salt water for 1 hour. Give the socks a rinse
3. Add the blackberries to some water (1 : 4 berries to water). Cook the mixture for 30 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and mash the berries. Let the mixture boil for another 30 minutes and strain the pulp. When there's no more pulp in the juice, bring it to a boil again. Pour the mixture into a beaker and dip the pre-prepared socks. Leave them to soak for 5 hours.
4. Take the socks out of the dye and rinse in a solution of water and vinegar. Hang them to dry.
