BRISTOL CLOTH 3RD EDITION: DARTMOOR DYES

Hand dyed with traditional dye plants harvested on Dartmoor from windfall: Oak, Hawthorn, Alder and Bramble.

Bristol Cloth is the UK' s pioneer re-localised soil-to-soil textile production system, working with local regenerative fibre farmers, organic natural heritage plant dyes and a cottage industry of artisan traditional mills, to produce fabric and accessories which are of the earth and safe to give back to the earth at the end of their useful life cycle, as nutrients instead of pollutants.

Our textiles are made without the use of any harmful synthetic chemicals at any stage throughout the farming, processing and manufacture. The textile industry is the 2nd biggest polluter in the World after agrochemical farming for food, and this is mainly due to the high toxicity of chemicals used for dyeing and finishing cloth. We have removed all the chemical substances such as detergents, spinning oils, dyes and finishers and replaced them with organic natural castile soap, organic natural dyes extracted from plants and nothing else.

We work with farms who use the highest standards of animal welfare to ensure happy animals as well as healthy land and soil.

Regenerative farming re-builds soil fertility, creates plant species diversity, sequesters maximum carbon from the air back into the soil and ensures the highest standards of animal welfare, which also tends to produce a much higher quality of wool.

Everyone involved in these small independent businesses is paid well and treated fairly. Farmers receive a much higher income for their fleece than the current industry standard, providing a reliable and financially sustainable profit margin.

The entire fibre farming, processing and manufacture in set within British shores, reducing the use of fossil fuels for transportation and ensuring that our system is transparent and fully traceable.

SCARF & BLANKET SIZES:

Large Scarf:
Size: 42cm wide x 200cm long (approx)
Price from: £185.00

Blanket:
Size: 180cm wide x 200cm long (approx)
Price from: £350

Using plant-based mordants instead of mineral-based mordants, to fix the colours for reliable colourfastness: Windfall Oak branches collected on Dartmoor after storms

Our 3rd Edition of Bristol Cloth using the regeneratively farmed Shetland/Romney lambswool, from North Somerset, on the weft,

On the warp, a 100% British wool in natural undyed dark brown fleece colour.

Produced without any harmful synthetic imputs on land, fleece or fibre. Woven on a vintage Dormier loom in Bristol.

Sourced and produced entirely within British shores and within a series of traditional artsian mills based mainly within the South West of England.

From soil-to-soil.

RE-LOCALISED

Based entirely within British shores and mainly within the South-West of England.

Locally farmed and processed in a series of artisan mills

CIRCULAR

100% natural fibres and traditional plant dyes

Free from all harmful inputs inc. agricultural chemicals, synthetic detergents, spinning oil, finishing agents, mineral mordants.

We use only responsibly sourced natural plant dyes and organic soap and water for finishing.

Designed to be given back to the soil at the end of its useful lifecycle, as nutrients rather than pollutants.

REGENERATIVE WOOL

On the weft, Shetland/Romney 100% Lambwool, regeneratively farmed by Fernhill Farm in North Somerset, to improve the biodiversity of the land, increase soil fertility and offer the highest standards of animal welfare.

Without the use of any harmful synthetic chemical inputs on land, fleece or fibre.

100% BRITISH WOOL

On the warp, a 100% British wool sourced from Natural Fibre Company. A recycleing project combining their deadstock of unused British wool yarns, to create a new yarn.

(Although this yarn is fully traceable, we cannot guarantee the processing materials are 100% organic).

TRADITIONAL NATURAL DYEING

The dyeworks offer a non-toxic, 100% plant based production, using plant mordants and no mineral mordants or other synthetic chemical substances whatsoever.

DARTMOOR DYES

Traditional natural dyes harvested from the land on Dartmoor and processed by hand. Using only 100% natural and biodegrable non-toxic plant-based materials.

PIONEERING SUSTAINABILITY

Botanical Inks natural dye house priorise abundant sources of colour from native and “invasive” dye plants, with a spotlight on tree dyes, which have a high tannin content that gives excellent colourfastness and rich colours from a small amount of plant matter. For a pioneering sustainable approach to scaleable UK-based natural dyeing.

PLANT COLOURS

The scarves and blanket scarves will be available in a few limited edtion colours. The warp is a natural undyed dark brown/black fleece colour, of 100% British wool, recycled from the BTQ/Natural Fibre Co. deadstock collection as a brilliant new sustainability scheme to reduce waste.

The weft is our beloved Regeneratively farmed Shetland/Romney lambswool, from Fernhill Farm, in the Mendip Hills of North Somerset. Woven in its undyed and unbleached natural white fleece colour.

The finished scarves will be piece dyed with the Dartmoor dyes at Babs Behan’s Botanical Inks studio on Dartmoor.

There will be a selection of different dye colours to choose from, including Hawthorn, Oak, Alder, Mugwort and Bramble.

These dyes have been professionally colour lab tested for colourfastness to light, rub and wash, with excellent results.

(This research was part the “Native and Invasive Dye Plant Project” by Botanical Inks natural dye house in 2023, microfunded by Fibreshed SWE).

ARTISAN WEAVING

Woven by the Bristol Weaving Mill on a vintage Dormier loom by an all-woman team of highly skilled weavers. To create a limited edition collection of scarves and blanket scarves.

HOPSACK WEAVE DESIGN

This edition has a new “Hopsack” weave design, as shown below. A chessboard style of weave structure, with minture square motifs of alternating colours.

Every piece has the natural undyed brown/black fleece colour squares and there will be a natural dye colour on the paler squares. Choose your favourite natural dye colour from the collection.

A truly unique and exceptionally thoughtful heirloom piece, to be enjoyed and passed down through many lifetimes.