Indigo​ dyeing course - 1st of November 2025

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This workshop will be led by Alice Bernardo and is designed for those who want to take their first steps in dyeing indigo organically and for those looking for a solid foundation for their work with this mysterious blue.

Why Organic and not just Indigo Dyeing? Because, in fact, not all blue is the same and the reason is simple: in order to make it soluble in water, and thus make dyeing with this pigment possible, it is necessary to cause a molecular change in indigo. Due to the complexity of this process, it is at this stage that toxic chemicals are usually used, which are very harmful to health and the environment. In other words, even when the pigment used is of natural origin, the assistants are usually toxic, which creates a contradictory situation for those who advocate sustainable practices.

However, there are alternatives and at Saber Fazer we want to promote working with Indigo based on completely organic and environmentally sustainable dyeing practices, as well as providing rigorous and well-founded information that lays a solid foundation for those who want to take their work with this pigment further.

So, in this course, we'll start by learning more about this pigment, some of the different plants that produce it and its chemistry, an essential part of actually understanding how indigo works and how it can be manipulated.
We'll learn about the different types of indigo vats that exist and how to set up a completely organic dye vat, a sustainable alternative to chemical vats that use environmentally harmful substances. We'll also talk about another essential point for successful dyeing: preparing the fabrics before dyeing and finalising them after dyeing.
Each participant will create their own individual vat which they can then take home to work with and this workshop includes an exclusive Indigo Organic Dyeing Starter Manual (portuguese).
The content of the workshop is suitable for anyone who wants to learn how to dye all kinds of fibres or materials with indigo: cotton, wool, linen, silk, in yarn, fabric or finished pieces and even paper!

Program
- Introduction to indigo blue: plants, pigment and chemistry
- Preparation of fabrics for dyeing with indigo
- Creation of an organic indigo dyeing vat without chemicals)
- Dye with indigo
- Maintenance of an indigo vat

Teacher: Alice Bernardo;
Days: 9th November 2024 (Saturday);
Schedule: 9h30-13h30 and 15h-18h (7h duration);
Price: 95€;
Notes: The course includes an Introduction to Organic Dyeing with Indigo and all the materials used in the workshop, except the container for the individual vat