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From Rice Field to Fabric:<br />
All-Natural Dye
Aiayu
Aiayu

From Rice Field to Fabric:
All-Natural Dye

Made from durable European linen, the Bibi Shirt and Phillipa Pant are easy-to-wear pieces in soft shades from all-natural rice dye. To dye the linen fabric, our Italian fabric mill uses wastewater from their neighboring rice farm. The water from the parboiling process creates a deep natural hue full of character – soft and pure. The dye is local, 100% natural, and gentle to all of us – including the planet. Exclusively developed from pure resources that turns waste into beauty as a testament to nature’s own rich palette.

 

 

Behind the Process

The rice-dye process begins in the fields of Lombardy and Piedmont in Italy. Here, a special variety of black rice is cultivated and, once mature, the grain is harvested. The processing of the rice involves boiling, where valuable plant pigment is released into the water. This is the base of the dye – the dynamic shade that comes straight from the grain itself. The leftover water is recovered and transformed into textile dye.

Rice dye is a responsible natural dye that adds rich color without chemicals. The technique turns waste into resources and guarantees water savings of between 30-40% compared to conventional dyeing. A clever, cleaner, and more responsible way that is sensitive to both our bodies and the planet. 

 

 

A Natural Principle

Our foundation as a company is rooted in a considered approach: one that relies on craftsmanship and a deep love for the diversity and origins of the materials we work with. From the very beginning, Aiayu has worked with undyed wool, preserving nature’s own colors wherever possible.

For our venture into plant and natural dyes, it was instinctive for us to begin with an innovative approach including by-products from the food industry, applying our principle of using what is already here instead of always creating new.

 

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