Swiss designer Caroline Fourré is pioneering a sustainable revolution by turning everyday vegetable peelings into vibrant, natural dyes for textiles. Through rigorous experimentation, she's developed formulas scalable for industrial production. Speaking to HuffPost, Fourré shared: "What is cheaper than our trash? I have never put up with all this food waste that we, individuals, but also restaurants and communities, create every day." Her process yields striking colors—avocado pits produce salmon pink, red onions yield persimmon hues, onion skins create yellow, and red cabbage outer leaves deliver blue-purple tones. After scalding the scraps, she binds the dyes to fabric using eco-friendly mordants. An inspiring blend of ingenuity and environmental stewardship.
For example, one kilo of red cabbage leaves generates one liter of blue dye, enough to color two T-shirts. While fastness during washing remains a work in progress requiring further research, Fourré has launched her company, Local Colours, and unveiled her debut collection of silk scarves. A crowdfunding campaign is now live to support production of these groundbreaking pieces.
