2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

Whatsparkedyourpassionfor

naturaldyes?I livedinSanFrancisco

inmytwentiesandbecameinvolved

withthelocalcreativecommunity.

Therewasa wonderfulshopcalled

theDharmaTradingConearbyand

Iwasinspiredbyitsselectionofraw

materials,organicfabricsanddye

supplies.I beganexperimentingat

homewithIndigodyingandsoon

fell in love with the technique.

Howdidyourbusinesscome

about?WhenI movedbackto

Irelandin2014,I decidedtofocus

allmyattentiononturningmy

passionintoa viablebusiness.At

firstI foundthemovedifficult,but

inotherwaysit’sbeensopositive.

Ilaunchedmyfirstlineoflinen

homewareatShowcase(aplatform

fordesigntalent)andhavebeen

working overtime ever since!

Talkusthroughthecreative

process.FirstI choosethefibre:

sometimeswool,butmostlylinen

that’sbeengrownandwoveninthe

southofIreland.I thenmakemyown

dyesusingnativeplantextracts.

Dependingontheseason,I’lluse

twigs,bark,leavesandflowers.You

cangetcolourfromalmostanything

• avocado seeds make a gorgeous

CLOCKWISE,FROM

THISPICTUREKathryn

atwork;naturaldoesn’t

meanneutral;thelinen

is grown locally

Meet Kathryn Davey,

TexTile

designer

pink!Oncedried,I sendmyproducts

• alwaysinrecycledorcompostable
  packaging.Everypartoftheprocess
  from start to finish is eco-friendly.

Whatdoyouloveaboutyour

craft?Partofthecharmofnatural

dyingis theelementofsurprise.

Youneverknowwhatsomething

is goingtolooklike.Youhaveno

choicebuttosurrendertonature

and its incredibly humbling beauty.

Whataboutworkshops?Ilove

sharingthemagicofplantdyes

andofferworkshops,frombasic

introductions,totheartofshibori,

an ancient Japanese technique.

MADDERCUTCH& COhand-printonlinenusingsustainableplantdyes. 01780

767958,maddercutchandco.comFLORAARBUTHNOTTofferswildplantwalks

andnaturaldyeingworkshops. 07884 038337,floraarbuthnott.comBOTANICAL

INKSmakes natural dyes using foraged and organic produce. botanicalinks.com

Whatareyourplansfortherest

oftheyear?Iwillbelaunching

a rangeofwomen’sclothingvery

soon,whichis veryexcitingforme,

so watch this space for that!

Sumupyourstyleinthreewords.

Simple, comfortable and relaxed.

KathrynDavey, 0035385826

4427, kathryndavey.com

3 more natural dyers to watch...

feaTure

TARA KINg

PHOTOGraPHS

JOANNE MURPHY

DeSiGner PrOfile