Description
A hand dyed, hand sewn tote bag made with organic 10 oz cotton canvas and thick cotton webbing straps. Dyed with botanical dyes – this color is Cochineal and Himalayan Rhubarb.
– The materials –
DYE:
This color is produced with two dyes:
HIMALAYAN RHUBARB is a variation of rhubarb that is native to the high altitudes of the Himalayan mountains. It is an extremely hardy plant, as well as being pest and drought resistant. It is resistant even to a few degrees below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
COCHINEAL dye is actually made out of tiny bugs that are found on the prickly pear cactus. Don’t be freaked out – cochineal dye is actually found in many lipsticks!
FABRIC: I use 10 oz. pre-shrunk organic cotton canvas. This is canvas, so will hold up better than regular cotton fabric.
STRAPS: I use 1.5” wide cotton webbing. These are strong and durable.
– The creation process –
I start with natural colored organic cotton canvas. I prepare the fabric for dyeing by first scouring (to remove impurities), followed by treating with a tannin and mordant (to help the color stick to the fabric), then finally I dye the fabric with natural dyes. I dry the fabric, cut it, and sew it into a tote!
– Care instructions –
If dirty, gently hand wash in cold water. Tumble dry or line dry. Try to store out of direct sunlight, as natural dyes store best this way.
– Dimensions –
12.5″ L
12.5″ W
2.75″ D
