Pioneers of british natural dye productions

“Inspiring holistic systems-change through natural colour”

TRUSTed by:

NATURAL DYE WEEKEND RETREATS

DEVON, ENGLAND - MAY, JUNE, JULY 2025

** Each weekend is the same retreat, with some slight variation in terms of seasonality of plants and different special guest practitioner offerings **

These weekends are an opportunity to learn a range of natural dye craft techniques from professional natural dye and colour expert Babs Behan, Founder of Botanical Inks Natural Dye House and Author of bestselling natural dye titles “Botanical Inks” and “Botanical Dyes”. Whilst enjoying a beautiful rural setting from the comfort of a rustic luxury converted barn in a special holistic retreat location.

Over the course of the weekend, you will learn how to dye, print, draw and paint with natural dyes and inks on both textiles and paper-based surfaces.
There will be bundle dyeing with flowers, indigo dyeing, block printing, ink making and painting, to practice, develop and enjoy.

Space is provided for you to integrate your learnings into your own projects or simply take time out to enjoy the peaceful location and its abundant wilderness.

UPCOMING in-person events

BOOK IN ADVANCE TO SECURE YOUR PLACE

learn online : workshops

BOOKS

BOTANICAL DYES:

PLANT-TO-PRINT DYES, TECHNIQUES & PROJECTS

(Quadrille Books, 2023)

Botanical Dyes features recipes and top tips on everything you need to know to make your own natural dyes.

The process of turning plants into print can help you reconnect with nature, find a creative outlet and develop a mindful sense of presence. It also promotes an awareness of sustainable practices and how to reduce our impact on the planet.

Extracting from and updating her book Botanical Inks, Babs talks the home crafter through everything from foraging for dyes, making mordants, creating an array of colours and then putting your new knowledge to the text through a collection of simple projects.

With more than 10 dye recipes, clear step-by-step instructions, troubleshooting tips and explanations of what works and why. Botanical Dyes is the accessible handbook that modern makers everywhere have been waiting for.

featured PROJECT:

INDIGO + MADDER

bristol cloth

ENGLISH CASHMERE EDITION

 The Bristol Cloth: Cashmere Project is a new offering from Botanical Inks natural dye studio/  pioneer of the UK's first locally sourced and manufactured, “soil-to-soil” textile production system: the Bristol Cloth Project, as seen on BBC News, BBC Countryfile, Sky News and several national newspapers and magazines.

NATURALLY DYED GOODS

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