Dealing with ethical issues by removing the use of animal leathers within the Fashion industry.
Marie Melcore is a material, textile and graphic designer. These three fields allow her to evolve in a transversal and multidisciplinary context.
By developing them through the biodesign prism, she addresses environmental issues and the relationship between living organisms and design.
Marie Melcore is a material, textile and graphic designer. These three fields allow her to evolve in a transversal and multidisciplinary context.
By developing them through the biodesign prism, she addresses environmental issues and the relationship between living organisms and design.
NATURAL DYES
Category
Textile Design
Colours | Dyeing
Carried out at
MA Biodesign
Central Saint Martins
University of the Arts London
BA Printed Textiles &
Surface Pattern Design
Leeds Arts University
DSAA Textile Design
E.S.AA.T.
Conducted with
Tutors
MA Biodesign:
Carole Collet | Course Founder
Nancy Diniz | Course Leader
Alice Taylor | Lecturer of Biology and Living Systems
Shem Johnson | Grow Lab Specialist Technician
BA Printed Textiles:
Tami Stewart | Course Leader
Caroline Pratt | Senior Lecturer
Julie Hughes | Senior Lecturer
DSAA Textile Design:
Marianne Bernecker | Course Founder-Leader
Laurent Schavey | Course Founder-Leader
Hervé Crespel | Course Founder-Leader
Solange Thiry | Senior Lecturer
Location
Leeds, London — UK
Roubaix — France
Date
2017 — 2020
Using natural dyes to remediate water pollution
The use of synthetic dyes generates colorful and inexpensive clothes, which have color that lasts for a long time. But synthetic dyes also cause problems. The dyeing process involves a lot of water, and not all places have effective ways of cleaning the water before it goes back into the environment. Wastewater from textile dyeing is a huge pollutant around the world.
Wastewater from textile dyeing also affects plant life in the water, because many dyes have substances that decrease photosynthesis, the process by which plants get nutrients. For this project, we chose to experiment natural dyes to reduce their impact on the environment.
From the mordanting to the choice of the fabric and the colorants used, we focused all of our choices in a sustainable way. To carry this out, we experimented different dyeing techniques to reduce the use of water as much as possible (eco-printing, direct dye, ice dyeing, waste extraction, solar dyeing) and to develop a range of different shades and patterns.





















Natural dyes from greenwaste, foodwaste, mineral and organic pigments | Fabrics: linen, rPet | Format: A4, 21 cm x 29,7 cm | Design © Marie Melcore, Kit Ondaatje Rolls, Eleonora Rombolá, Carolina Kyvik Ruiz, Cassandra Quinn | Photo © Kit Ondaatje Rolls, Eleonora Rombolá | MA Biodesign, Central Saint Martins, UAL.













Natural pigments : madder, cochineal, logwood, weld | Fabrics : silk Habotai, plain bleached cotton, wool delaine | Mordants : without, iron, alum | BA Printed Textiles & Surface Pattern Design, Leeds Arts University.












Shibori | Fabrics: cotton canvas | Format: 15 cm x 20 cm | DSAA Textile Design, E.S.AA.T.













Shibori | Fabrics: cotton canvas | Format: 2 m x 40 cm | DSAA Textile Design, E.S.AA.T.





