Linen is a natural fibre that is made from the flax plant.
One of my favourite things about linen is its understated beauty.
Linen is right on trend at the moment, but it is important to know that not all linen is created equal.
The best quality linen comes from Europe, in countries such as France, Belgium, and Lithuania.
Although all linen comes from the flax plant, there are many factors that influence the quality of the final fabric: Where the flax plant is grown, the length of the fibres used, the weaving techniques, and the type of finish that is used.
Raw Luxury sources the best quality linen for all our garments. Our linen is produced in small batches in Eastern Europe where there is a strong heritage of spinning and weaving linen fabric. It is then laundered and tumbled at the mill to produce a beautiful soft feel with a vintage aesthetic.
All our linen fabric is Oeko-Tex Certified, this means there are no nasties used in the production of our beautiful linen fabric, making it better for the environment and ensuring it is gentle on your skin.
The next time you are considering purchasing a linen garment or even linen bedsheets, it may be worth asking the questions – “Where was the linen grown, woven, and finished?” & “Is it Oeko-Tex certified?”
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Once I did a little research and started to experiment (not always following the rules), I realised, that just like the natural dyes themselves, there was no one simple “correct” process & no one simple “correct” outcome. It’s all about experimentation and finding the beauty in the unpredictable & unique results. This is what natural dyeing is all about!
Natural dyes - what are they?
Natural dyes are derived from plants, roots, bark & other natural vegetable materials and minerals. Artisans have added colour to fabric for thousands of years using natural dyes & there is an immense amount of tradition & history surrounding the art of natural dyeing. In fact the first artificial dye was not invented until the 1850’s. Today, many people are rediscovering the joy & creativity of achieving colour through the use of natural, renewable, non-toxic sources and there has been a revival of the use of natural dyes.
]]>Once I did a little research and started to experiment (not always following the rules), I realised, that just like the natural dyes themselves, there was no one simple “correct” process & no one simple “correct” outcome. It’s all about experimentation and finding the beauty in the unpredictable & unique results. This is what natural dyeing is all about!
Natural dyes - what are they?
Natural dyes are derived from plants, roots, bark & other natural vegetable materials and minerals. Artisans have added colour to fabric for thousands of years using natural dyes & there is an immense amount of tradition & history surrounding the art of natural dyeing. In fact the first artificial dye was not invented until the 1850’s. Today, many people are rediscovering the joy & creativity of achieving colour through the use of natural, renewable, non-toxic sources and there has been a revival of the use of natural dyes.
What fabrics can be dyed using natural sources?
Natural dyes work best when used on natural fibres. Natural dyes do not adhere well to synthetic fibres so you will not get a good result. For best results use natural fibres such as silk, wool, cotton, linen or hemp.
Do you need to use a mordant?
If you are researching natural fabric dyeing, you will come across the word “mordant” A LOT! What is a mordant? A mordant is a substance that is used to increase the bond between the dye and the fibre to increase its colourfastness. One very common mordant used by natural dyers today is Potassium Aluminium Sulphate (commonly referred to as Alum).
In addition to improving colourfastness, some mordants can also play a secondary role – and that is of a colour shifter. By using certain metal mordants such as copper or iron you can alter the dye colour e.g. making it duller, darker, brighter etc.
If you are new to natural dyeing and just want to start experimenting, my suggestion is to actually start dying without the use of a mordant. This will keep it simple. Mordants will allow you more flexibility in the long run, particularly as you become more creative and experiential with your dyeing. However, in my experience they are not always essential.
What dyes can be used without a mordant?
Some natural dyes are high in tannins. Tannins help bind the colour to the fabrics & therefore improve colourfastness without the use of a mordant. If you are a beginner and want to start out by having some fun with natural dyes, I would suggest you start by using dyes that are high in tannins such as the following:
By using dyes that are naturally high in tannins you can achieve good results without the use of a mordant.
The basics to get you started
Believe it or not, the process of naturally dyeing yarn and fabric is similar to cooking. Think cooking with fabric! Essentially you will need a large non-reactive stainless steel stockpot.
If you are using natural dyes such as onion skins then you will need to soak the onion skin in the large pot of simmering water to extract the colour. Then strain off the onion skins before adding your yarn/fabric to the dye pot. If using tea, I suggest soaking tea bags in the simmering water and removing them before you add the yarn/fabric.
The natural dye quantities will differ depending on the natural dye source you choose, the weight of the fabric/yarn you wish to dye, and the intensity of colour you wish to achieve.
Experiment. Experiment. Experiment.
What's next?
There is an amazing amount of information available on the topic of natural dyeing and so many wonderful artisans who are willing to share their valuable & extensive knowledge on the topic. However, it is easy to feel a little overwhelmed at times by the sheer amount of information. My advice is to start simple and as you begin to understand the basics and your curiosity grows then research more and experiment more. SO now is the time to stop reading and start DOING! Enjoy the creative process & embrace the results (whatever they may be).]]>However, have you ever thought about “organic” in relation to the clothes you wear? Have you considered that what you wear may also have an impact on your health?
Skin is your body's largest organ and the primary organ for absorption, therefore the clothes you wear, your favourite underwear, those soft sheets you sleep on every night, the fluffy towels you use on a daily basis, do impact your health & should be considered carefully.
Stop for a minute & think about the clothes you are wearing right now.
You may falsely believe that if your clothing is made from a natural fibre such as cotton, then it is automatically healthy for you & the environment in which it is grown. This is not necessarily true, and certainly not the case for conventionally grown cotton.
Conventionally grown cotton (the bad news)
Conventionally grown cotton (i.e. non-organic cotton) accounts for 2.5% of farmland worldwide, yet it is responsible for 10% of the world’s entire pesticide use and a huge 25% of the world’s insecticide use. It is in fact considered the world’s most environmentally unfriendly crop.
Pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides & fungicides) have a devastating effect on the health of cotton farmers & workers, and on the environment.
]]>However, have you ever thought about “organic” in relation to the clothes you wear? Have you considered that what you wear may also have an impact on your health?
Skin is your body's largest organ and the primary organ for absorption, therefore the clothes you wear, your favourite underwear, those soft sheets you sleep on every night, the fluffy towels you use on a daily basis, do impact your health & should be considered carefully.
Stop for a minute & think about the clothes you are wearing right now.
You may falsely believe that if your clothing is made from a natural fibre such as cotton, then it is automatically healthy for you & the environment in which it is grown. This is not necessarily true, and certainly not the case for conventionally grown cotton.
Conventionally grown cotton (the bad news)
Conventionally grown cotton (i.e. non-organic cotton) accounts for 2.5% of farmland worldwide, yet it is responsible for 10% of the world’s entire pesticide use and a huge 25% of the world’s insecticide use. It is in fact considered the world’s most environmentally unfriendly crop.
Pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides & fungicides) have a devastating effect on the health of cotton farmers & workers, and on the environment.
Impact on cotton farmers
The World Health Organisation estimates that each year, in the developing world, 3 million workers in agriculture experience severe poisoning from pesticides.
Acute health problems that can occur in workers that handle pesticides include abdominal pain, dizziness, headaches, nausea, skin and eye problems. Longer term, studies have shown that there are significantly increased rates of varying types of cancer among farm workers that handle these pesticides.
Impact on the environment
The use of pesticides on conventionally grown cotton also has a devastating impact on the environment. Pesticides negatively impact the quality of the air, water, and soil and have a severe impact on ecosystems, causing harm to plants and animals. Pesticides seep into run-off water and end up in lakes, rivers and waterways, making it unsafe for humans and animals to drink. Pesticide residue has been increasingly discovered in plant foods and farm animals.
Impact on the quality of the fibre
What impact do pesticides have on the quality of natural fibres? Soaking a natural fibre in a poisonous chemical causes the natural fibre to break down, making it weaker and therefore reducing the quality of the end garment significantly. After a few wears the garment will look old, the fabric will be thinning and a new replacement product will need to be purchased – keeping this unhealthy cycle going. Moreover, traces of these harmful chemicals remain in the fabric of the pieces of clothing you are wearing. Over time these nasty chemicals may be absorbed into the body via our skin. YOU deserve better!
Organic cotton (the good news)
Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilisers or genetically modified organisms, making it safer for cotton farmers, factory workers, the environment and for the end user, YOU.
Organic cotton is grown using methods that intentionally lessen the impact on our environment and the health of cotton farmers and workers. Crop rotation, manure fertiliser and other earth friendly farming techniques are used instead of harmful chemicals.
Organically grown cotton also uses significantly less water than conventionally grown cotton.
Yes, these methods are a little more labour intensive and do take some time to learn, but all good things take time, and at the end of the day slow and steady wins the race.
By choosing organic cotton you are choosing to support the health and wellbeing of cotton farmers & workers, the environment and yourself! There is simply no reason not to go organic.
You as the consumer can support and encourage organic cotton farming practices by being selective about where you choose to spend your hard earned money. By choosing to buy quality clothing that is manufactured responsibly with minimal environmental impact, you are essentially voting for a healthier environment, healthier conditions for farmers & factory workers and for a healthier you!
]]>I thought it was only fitting to use this first post to let our customers know exactly who Raw Luxury is and what our label stands for.
Raw Luxury is an Australian clothing label started by myself, Alissa Nichles.
My childhood years were filled with memories of fabrics being rolled out across our carpeted dining room floor and paper patterns being placed carefully on top. Using her beloved fabric scissors, my mum would cut out the fabric pieces and sew for hours on her even more beloved Singer sewing machine (which she still uses to this day)! She has created many much loved items of clothing over the years, each of which have a certain sentimental value. Thinking back to these times I can still distinctly hear the strangely soothing sound of the scissors cutting through the fabrics and the gentle hum of the sewing machine stopping and starting over and over again.
I also have many vivid memories of visiting my mum's favourite fabric store in Surry Hills, Sydney. As she would browse through the patterns and the fabrics, my brother and I would overindulge in the lollies left on the front counter for the customers to enjoy. We would then wander mischeiviously amongst the many tables and walls that held, what seemed to be at the time, "giant" rolls of fabric. These childhood memories were my introduction to the world of fabrics and sewing.
]]>I thought it was only fitting to use this first post to let our customers know exactly who Raw Luxury is and what our label stands for.
Raw Luxury is an Australian clothing label started by myself, Alissa Nichles.
My childhood years were filled with memories of fabrics being rolled out across our carpeted dining room floor and paper patterns being placed carefully on top. Using her beloved fabric scissors, my mum would cut out the fabric pieces and sew for hours on her even more beloved Singer sewing machine (which she still uses to this day)! She has created many much loved items of clothing over the years, each of which have a certain sentimental value. Thinking back to these times I can still distinctly hear the strangely soothing sound of the scissors cutting through the fabrics and the gentle hum of the sewing machine stopping and starting over and over again.
I also have many vivid memories of visiting my mum's favourite fabric store in Surry Hills, Sydney. As she would browse through the patterns and the fabrics, my brother and I would overindulge in the lollies left on the front counter for the customers to enjoy. We would then wander mischeiviously amongst the many tables and walls that held, what seemed to be at the time, "giant" rolls of fabric. These childhood memories were my introduction to the world of fabrics and sewing.
Design ethic
I have always been attracted to earthy colours & raw textures. I love the simplicity, the perfect imperfection and the beauty in all things natural. In an age where we have a perceived need to constantly alter, make things faster, brighter, shinier & glitzier, I wonder if simple untouched beauty is being lost. This has never been more apparent than in the world of fast fashion. It was not until I started researching the world of fashion manufacturing, that I realised, firstly, how polluting the fashion industry is, and secondly, the emphasis it often places on quantity above any concern for quality.
I made a conscious decision when starting the Raw Luxury label that I definitely did NOT want to be part of the fast fashion world & I am 100% committed to this decision.
Raw Luxury believes in SLOW fashion. Fashion that is considered, made from quality natural and organic fabrics, made to last, and made locally and ethically in Australia.
Why the initial focus on tees?
If you have browsed our website already you would have noticed that our debut products are predominantly t-shirts. Why t-shirts? Well there are a few reasons for this. Firstly, T-shirts are a classic wardrobe staple. Given the amount of time we spend in our much loved t-shirts, it's important that the good old everyday tee is not neglected. Raw Luxury's t-shirts are made to last, they are comfortable, fit well, and are made sustainably and ethically in Australia. Importantly, all our tees are made from high quality 100% certified organic cotton.
Another reason for our initial emphasis on tees is that I’m a self-taught screen printer from way back. I love that a message or a feeling can so easily be expressed by a simple screen-printed design on a t-shirt. And even more than this, I love that people connect with these designs enough that they are excited about wearing our tees.
And the final reason for our initial emphasis on tees – well I believe the classic tee is a starting point to any wardrobe. We’re excited to start with the tee and to then slowly, ethically, and thoughtfully expand the Raw Luxury range and build a classic wardrobe for all our customers to enjoy.
Finally
Thank you for visiting the Raw luxury website and for taking an interest in what we are aiming to achieve. It has been a wonderful journey so far and I’m genuinely excited about developing quality, sustainable, natural garments to share with those who care about what they are wearing, how their clothes are made, and by whom they are made.
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