Join an immersive workshop at RMIT Brunswick Campus exploring natural dye and material techniques that respond to plants within the University’s dye garden and local area.

Commence with a guided walk through the garden, delving into local plants, biodiversity, and the potential of cultivating indigenous and exotic plants for materials and natural colours. Participate in a respectful foraging experience, gaining insights into sustainable harvesting practices while discovering an array of plants perfect for natural dyeing and colouration.

Guided techniques will demonstrate the selection, preparation and utilisation of natural plant dyes and fibres in mini hands-on material experiments, yielding small samples for participants to take home. Through processes of plant-based dyeing, this hands-on ‘Natural Dye Colour Sampling’ session invites participants to explore connections between local ecologies, colours, and ways of working creatively in responsible relationships with plants and Country.

Growing Waa Weelum: People, Plants, Place

Growing Waa Weelum is a project workshop series run through RMIT University’s School of Fashion and Textiles. The series is led by textile and dye specialist Verity Prideaux, fashion and place academic Dr Tarryn Handcock, and Cathy Doe (Irukandji) Reconciliation Advisor for the College of Design & Social Context at RMIT, with philanthropic support from the Verdnik Family.

Growing Waa Weelum: People, Plants, Place aims to provide space for sharing, growing and generating creative, community, and cross-cultural approaches through fashion and textiles, in relationship with the on-site dye garden at RMIT Brunswick campus.

Special Guests

Dani Andrée - Dani is a Melbourne-based artist, and Masters by Research candidate at RMIT University. She is an expert in textile print and construction and has undertaken extensive plant-based dye, ink, and print medium development. Her current research explores ways of interacting with plant life through creating dialogical relations between plant growth and artistic action.
Celina Kanae Samarakoon - Celina is a sustainability and natural dye specialist with an in-depth knowledge of traditional cultural design approaches and textile techniques. She is the founder of Child of Society, a brand that champions zero waste, genderless and age-less design, and showcases her Japanese and Sri Lankan heritage.
Eamonn Briggs - Eamonn is an RMIT Bachelor of Fashion (Design) student whose work integrates ethical foraging for natural plant dyes. Their work focuses on developing curated digital environments, garments and assets using real world material knowledge. Eamonn's practice explores how fashion can be a medium to change our values by slowly building of relationships with the natural world surrounding us.

This event is running as part of the Melbourne Design Week 2024 program.

DETAILS

Participants: The event is for interested local community, designers, researchers, educators and students. Adults 18+ only. Activities are suitable for all skill and knowledge levels. There is appeal across fields of fashion and textiles, landscape architecture, social ecology, eco-design, printmaking, localism, foraging, community gardening, circular systems.

What to bring: Due to the dye lab location, attendees must comply with Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines to participate, including attire: Wear closed toe shoes, tie back long hair, and bring an apron or cover to protect clothing from dye.

Accessibility: Event activities will take place outdoors in the dye garden (weather permitting) and indoor dye lab spaces; these are wheelchair accessible. There are wheelchair accessible parking spaces on campus. Please advise the organisers of any accessibility or accommodation needs in advance.

Recording: Please note there will be photos taken to record the event.