“Natural Dyes in the Textile Industry and the Art of Sustainability” with Kathy Hattori

March

“Natural Dyes in the Textile Industry and the Art of Sustainability” with Kathy Hattori

Saturday, March 4th, 2017, 10 a.m. Koret Auditorium, de Young Museum

Admission: Free for current members of the TAC; $5 for students and members of FAMSF; $10 General Admission

Apparel and textile dyeing are among the most polluting processes due to the high levels of toxic chemistry in dyes and fabric finishes. Apparel brands are looking for environmental solutions that help them get one step closer to sustainability. While countries worldwide—including the U.S.—are battling drought and contaminated water supplies, getting the fashion and textile industry to clean up to protect water sources is starting to take center stage.

We’ll take a closer look at some of the ways natural dyes are being incorporated into the textile industry and ways to support non-toxic color in your everyday life.

Kathy Hattori is the founder and President of Botanical Colors and sells organically certified dyes to artisans and industrial clients seeking a more sustainable, natural color palette. She is a recognized authority on natural dyes and pigments as well as commercial applications using natural dyes and has been a pioneer in the field since 2003. In addition to consulting and advising companies on their natural dye implementation strategies, Kathy has worked with the largest natural dye houses in the U.S. Her international experience includes creating a natural dye program for the largest organically certified tannery in Europe and implementing large-scale natural dye programs.She has also consulted and advised a number of major retail brands and was awarded a USDA VAPG grant in 2013 for natural dye research. In 2016, Botanical Colors was named a Sustainability Leadership Award finalist by Sustainable Seattle and continues to grow working with major fashion brands worldwide. Kathie currently teaches and lectures about natural dyes and is sought after as a speaker about the status of natural dyes in global textile production as well as scaling natural color.