But why the focus on all-natural dye? Because, according to Patagonia, “dye is dirty.” The company goes on to note that, “Even though many of our synthetic dyes use less water, energy, and CO2, when compared with conventional processes, we’re always trying to do better.” And they do better by using the the waste or byproducts of natural elements as varied as food waste, silk worm poop, and dried beetle shells to create their all-natural dyes.
The colors of the Clean Color collection will fade over time, but that’s part of what makes this collection unique to both Patagonia as a company and will also be unique to your closet. Every time you wear and wash, the clothing gets a little lighter in hue, and you’re reminded to be a little more mindful when it comes to the environment.
The dyes are sourced from:
Mulberry: Patagonia sources its rich, natural green dye from Chinese silworm feces, whose main diet consists of mulberry leaves.
Carmine: Made from cochineal beetles that feed on prickly pear cacti, this color was once so valuable, Emperor Montezuma, according to Patagonia, “levied a special tax on his subjects to be paid in the prized insects.”
Pomegranate: Pomegranate rinds produce a rich yellow brown and this particular dye comes as a byproduct of agriculture and food production.
Citrus Brown: Patagonia takes the residue of bitter orange peels to create this brown dye.
Palmetto Green: Palmetto is used in a variety of construction and herbal production processes and Patagonia sources this green dye from the herbal production byproducts.
Check out the full collection here.
