Have the beautiful natural dyes of Eastern Weft caught your eye in the current Winter 26 issue of Peppermint? Following ancient Lao traditions, the label’s founder, Samorn Sanixay, is pioneering the use of organic dyes in Australia to add vibrancy to handwoven silk and cotton textiles.

Drawing colours from native flora and, in the case of this gorgeous ‘compost scarf’, from salvaged food scraps, Samorn is on a mission to make the creative process of organic dyeing accessible to everyone. Her latest venture is a program of Natural Dye Workshops at Sydney Community College in Rozelle. Taking place during June and July, the sessions span three hours and begin with a walking tour of the local neighbourhood to forage for berries, leaves and flowers.

Samorn then teaches participants how to make vibrant dyes from the found materials before applying them to fabric to create multi-coloured patterns. At the end of the session, each participant will take home the pure or Eri peace silk scarf they dyed during the workshop – a truly priceless souvenir. There are two workshops scheduled for the coming months – visit the Sydney Community College website to reserve your spot and learn the art of natural dyeing from one of Australia’s best!