Illustration and Story by Chelsa Schoonover
The mission statementStony Creek Colors, a new startup natural dye company, is “Create a healthier and more vibrant world.”
Founded by a bright, powerful and young entrepreneur, Sarah Bellos. For such a challenging task, how does one even hope to begin? For Bellos and her team, it was focusing in on one aspect of the situation at a time, and not getting overwhelmed by the overall goal. The first objective of change is cleaning up the fashion industry. Indigo serves as the base for every blue product on the market, no matter the hue or intensity of color. The manufacturing of clothing items is universal, all following the exact same process, no matter what dye is being used, and that’s where the difference between synthetic and natural dyes comes in. If dyes end up in the garments in the exact same way, then why not opt for a more clean and healthier-based dye? The tides have been changing in the food industry on consumers wanting to know what they’re putting in their bodies and where it comes from; the fashion industry is quickly following suit.
It is well known in the fashion industry that the toxicity of textiles and the byproducts they create harm the earth. The largest component in the issue is synthetic Indigo. The process to make Indigo synthetically in a lab or factory is both potentially explosive, as well as extremely volatile to the environment. The ingredients are known carcinogens: Benzene, Arsenic and Cyanide.
Synthetic by-products end up primarily in waterways. The largest river in China, the Yangtze River, is now permanently discolored do to the dumping of raw chemicals from dye manufacturers. Big name textile companies try to turn a blind eye to the amount of pollution they’re creating, but the truth of the matter is it accounts for 17 percent of all water pollution. Where most companies would turn a blind eye to the issues at hand, Stony Creek Colors has decided to make it their primary goal.
Natural dyes have been around for hundreds of years. Synthetic dyes are new to the market, only appearing one hundred years ago; their only benefits are quantity and consistency. If the seasoned veteran, Natural Dyes, can be on par with what other synthetic dyes have to offer, there would be no reason for textile companies not to make the switch. Especially at such an effective cost of fifty cents more per item. Bellos stated, “When consumers can shell out a handsome amount of money for brand names and organic produce, they wouldn’t even bat an eye at pocket change.” She has already witnessed that trend first hand. Coming from a natural dye and agriculture background, her and her sister began importing natural dyes, dying fabrics by hand, and then selling them at local flea markets. The amount of designers interested in this practice was overwhelming. Designers were wondering how they did it, and how they were able to get a hold of it. That is when Bellos noticed the gap in the market, and saw that change is needed, and that people were willing to make an eco‐friendly effort if given the chance.
“When consumers can shell out a handsome amount of money for brand names and organic produce, they wouldn’t even bat an eye at pocket change.
Sarah Bellos’ company offers consumers and textile companies a chance to make a change that benefits the environment. A feat this large is not easily completed. Bellos and her team delved deeply into research, both preparing the seeds and harvesting them, then extracting the precious dyes in their lab. They work with two primary species of Indigo, a Japanese strain (Indigo tinctoria) and a tropical strain (Indigo fera). The Japanese strain yields a much purer and vibrant Indigo dye, the only draw back being that it can be harvested just once a year. The tropical strain is less pure, though it can be harvested three times a year. Where Indigo Fera lacks in purity, it makes up for in quantity. Being able to offer both strains aids in the consistency and quality, and enables them to effectively juggle how they harvest crops.
This also comes in handy when dealing with farmers, and since Stony Creek Colors does all of their own harvesting; there is no expense or inconvenience to the farmer. Tobacco farmers are the main demographic Stony Creek Colors have paired with due to the fact their market is decaying and many are forced to go out of business. Since Indigo has all of the same agricultural needs as tobacco (equipment, care and way of planting) it is an advantageous business decision for all involved. They are hoping to one day become certified organic, which will aid in the eco/green movement.
As fashion designers seek out eco‐friendly alternatives, and big clothing brands prohibit the use of synthetic dyes, scalable natural dye projects will become more than just a hot new trend. It will become an entire new outlook on fashion and clothing. They’re trying to create a healthier and more vibrant world. This will take time, and the business has to work through growing pains, but they have already seen success. They are partnered with brands in San Francisco and are meeting with new investors each day. It’s time to end the use of toxic chemicals and wastes we flush into the earth; there are alternatives! In the words of Sarah Bellos, when it comes to making the world a better place, “It’s more about tenacity than big ideas.”
Special thanks to Maureen O’Brien, a Nossi College of Art Illustration Instructor, for working with students on this assignment.