Modalé Wares, Perth, Perth (2026)

27/08/2021

Botanical Dyes ~ Harvesting Natural Colour⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Harvesting plants to use as natural dyes is one of many ways that we can reduce waste and encourage , circular living. When you're gardening and dead-heading your flowers to encourage new growth, or preparing onions or beets in the kitchen, you can use all that material - not just in the compost, but first of all in the dye pot. Used leaves and barks (that have been processed with water only) can be used as mulch in the garden.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In 2010 I travelled to and witnessed traditional tanning and dying, which has centuries of living history.

Numerous plants can be used as fabric dyes, such as Buddleja spp. (Butterfly Bush) leaves & flowers, Tagetes spp. (Marigold) flowers, & Curcuma longa (Turmeric) rhizomes. You can experiment with any plants, native or not, as long as you know that they're not toxic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Many native Australian plants can be used to produce natural dyes, including various Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. leaves & bark, and Banksia spp. cones. Peppermint leaves, for example, give a warm yellow or a burnt orange hue. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Sally Blake created a dye database of Eucalyptus species in 2016, in partnership with the ANBG. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When using natural dyes, the colour is influenced by the base colour of the garment you are dying, as well as the preparation and dying processes. Colour also varies depending on the fabric. Protein fibres - like & - will bond more easily with the dyes than plant-based fibres - like & .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Some beautiful books that I recommend:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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• The Wild Dyer: A guide to natural dyes, Abigail Booth⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Botanical Inks: Plant-to-Print Dyes, Techniques and Projects, Babs Behan⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Wild Colour: How to Make and Use Natural Dyes, Jenny Dean⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• The Modern Natural Dyer, Kristine Vejar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Harvesting Color, Rebecca Burgess

27/08/2021

For the love of Silk⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Silk is a natural protein fiber which is produced by some insect larvae to form cocoons.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The lovely shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles. It feels soft and light on the body, and breathes well.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Extracting raw silk is most commonly undertaken with the larvae of the Mulberry Silkworm, and starts by cultivating silkworms on their food of choice, mulberry leaves 🍃. Once the worms start pupating in their cocoons, the cocoons are dissolved in boiling water in order for individual long fibres to be extracted and fed into the spinning reel.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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The environmental impact of silk production is potentially large when compared with other natural fibers. A life-cycle assessment of Indian silk production shows that the production process has a large carbon and water footprint, mainly due to the fact that it is an animal-derived fiber and more inputs such as fertilizer and water are needed per unit of fiber produced.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Mahatma Gandhi was critical of silk production based on the Ahimsa philosophy - a principle of many dharmic religions that encourages nonviolence, and which applies to all living beings. Ghandigi's views led to the promotion of cotton and Ahimsa silk, a type of wild silk made from the cocoons of wild and semi-wild silk moths.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Silk a wonderful material to source pre-loved - especially if you align with views on the ethics of its production. It is not as common as other textiles and I find that treasures to be found in recycled silk wares are all the more special for its rarity. It is a delicate material and garments require careful treatment, so continuing to love them will give them a long life 🐛

27/08/2021

The Human Emy leather sneakers are the comfiest sneaks in my book.

And importantly, they're made with recycled Australian leather ♻️

On the topic of sustainability, I've been investigating sustainable packaging materials for and I've landed with and . Stoked to say the least.

More details to come with the site launch which is currently scheduled for 2030 😋 (just changing up the status quo cos all the marketing gurus are pedalling 'watch this space' and 'create suspense' etc., but let's just be real - good things take time).

23/08/2021

On abundance, by one of the most eloquent of humans. Deep learning for us all.

26/06/2021

Botanical Dyes ~ Harvesting Natural Colour⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Harvesting plants to use as natural dyes is one of many ways that we can reduce waste and encourage , circular living. When you're gardening and dead-heading your flowers to encourage new growth, or preparing onions or beets in the kitchen, you can use all that material - not just in the compost, but first of all in the dye pot. Used leaves and barks (that have been processed with water only) can be used as mulch in the garden.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In 2010 I travelled to and witnessed traditional tanning and dying, which has centuries of living history. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Numerous plants can be used as fabric dyes, such as Buddleja spp. (Butterfly Bush) leaves & flowers, Tagetes spp. (Marigold) flowers, & Curcuma longa (Turmeric) rhizomes. You can experiment with any plants, native or not, as long as you know that they're not toxic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Many native Australian plants can be used to produce natural dyes, including various Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. leaves & bark, and Banksia spp. cones. Peppermint leaves, for example, give a warm yellow or a burnt orange hue. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Sally Blake created a dye database of Eucalyptus species in 2016, in partnership with the ANBG. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When using natural dyes, the colour is influenced by the base colour of the garment you are dying, as well as the preparation and dying processes. Colour also varies depending on the fabric. Protein fibres - like & - will bond more easily with the dyes than plant-based fibres - like & .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Some beautiful books that I recommend:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• The Wild Dyer: A guide to natural dyes, Abigail Booth⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Botanical Inks: Plant-to-Print Dyes, Techniques and Projects, Babs Behan⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Wild Colour: How to Make and Use Natural Dyes, Jenny Dean⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• The Modern Natural Dyer, Kristine Vejar⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
• Harvesting Color, Rebecca Burgess

26/06/2021

Pierre Paulin Butterfly S675 Chair, 1963

Paulin worked using foams and metallic frames covered with stretch materials, admired for "their clear lines, the sensual feel of their material or just simply for the way their shapes cradled the body." His designs were widely popular during their time and have influenced different designers such as Olivier Mourgue.

Most of his most well-known chair designs were made in the 60's, and his pieces are still being made. Paulin passed away in 2009 at age 81.

23/06/2021

A simple life is a life of both less and more. It’s a life of less distraction, less consumption, and less of the inessential, to make room for more mindfulness, more intention, and more of what matters.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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When we live with less and cherish the things we most need, nothing goes unnoticed and everything serves a purpose. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” —Hans Hofmann⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Quiet space has been my conscious priority for the past few months. It is not always easy to cultivate, but it is essential for me to feel resourced and supported. My home has slowly been decluttered and simplified in reflection of that intention ~ a mirror of my inner world, as our personal spaces almost always are. A slow unravelling and softening into what already is. A balancing of yin (soft, still, cooler, sweet) and yang (dynamic, expansive, heated, vigorous). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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image - the beautiful in Bali (an island that is a divine example of the blending of yin and yang)

07/06/2021

⋒
Buy less⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Reuse⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Resell⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Repair⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Buy mindfully⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
For the future ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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07/06/2021

For the love of Jute.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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"Jute" is the name of the plant or fiber used to make burlap, hessian or gunny cloth. It is one of the most affordable natural fibers, and second only to cotton in the amount produced and variety of uses. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It is produced from flowering plants in the genus Corchorus, which is in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber collected from bast, the phloem of the plant, sometimes called the "skin".⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Jute was used for making textiles in the Indus valley civilization since the 3rd millennium BC. Jute is a rain-fed crop with little need for fertilizer or pesticides, in contrast to cotton's requirements. Modern production is concentrated mostly in Bangladesh. Jute leaves feature on the national emblems of Bagladesh and Pakistan, and has been an integral part of the culture of East Bengal and some parts of West Bengal (southwest Bangladesh) for centuries. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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07/06/2021

Architectural Digest - September issue, 1974⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Does anybody else collect old magazines? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I've got a small collection of National Geographic spanning the past 5 decades that I picked up from a flea market when I was at uni here in Perth. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I picture my kids leafing through them and wondering at the world that was, before they were born. Tangible forms of photography and information are less and less uncommon these days - we've swiftly moved into a world in which everything is available to us in digital format and print formats are being ousted by pixellated screens. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For me, there's nothing quite like a real book or magazine that I can hold in my hands, dog ear the pages (yes I'm one of those), and sit with the sweet scent of inked paper. It's an experience that waa gifted to me when I was small, and that I will always cherish ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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05/06/2021

My angel sis had a birthday recently, and we did a ceramics class. It was messy bliss, and I wrote the following in my afterwards.

It has long been accepted that being creative is a wonderful way to ease stress. It gets the mind to focus on something else aside from whatever it is that is worrying you or stressing you out. If we look closely at therapy for stress around the world, we notice that art therapy is widely used.

Pottery is a wonderful example of this approach in action. Your mind needs to focus on the task at hand; from creating the idea in your mind, preparing the clay, working & feeling the clay, and eventually bringing your idea to life.

When working with clay, you focus purely on what is in front of you and take in every aspect. You look at the clay, you think of the texture that it has in your hands. You look at your creation as it evolves and study it from various angles.

When you work with clay, you are going to make mistakes. You are also going to make a mess of the surrounding area. If you are producing a pot and it’s your first time, then there’s a very real chance that clay will be flying off the wheel and all over the place (my Mum was exemplary at this). As adults, we hardly ever allow ourselves to get really messy like we did as kids.

None of it matters. You learn that you can just start again.

Clay-making also forces you to slow down as the act of making cannot be rushed. By no means is there any instant gratification, something that we have come to expect in our fast-paced and technology-driven world.

Pottery is mindfulness in practice.

Modalé Wares

27/08/2021

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26/06/2021

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