Hello!
I’m Lisa Reddings, the woman behind Indigowares.
My love for the heritage and practice of indigo dyeing was my driving force when creating Indigowares. I take each garment as an opportunity to innovate a modern spin on long-established textile practices such as Shibori techniques, block printing and dip-dyeing. All of these are performed with natural dyes and eco-friendly practices.
Sustainability is at the heart of Indigowares. Our philosophy is completely in line with the slow fashion revolution; we focus on craft, environmentally friendly processes, and traceability, making each garment to last.
About me
The philosophy that I’ve built Indigowares on is a result of my ever-evolving career in the fashion industry.
Prior to creating Indigowares, I had spent 20 years training and working as a textile designer.
A good amount of my work was as a conceptual print designer, creating prints, denim treatments and finishes for well-known brands as well as independent print studios in New York and London.
This work fuelled my love of textile creation. But during this time, I also began to notice the toll that the fast fashion process started to take. The work done in these fast paced, mass-production driven design studios began to feel rushed. There seemed to be less and less space for part of the process that I loved so much – digging deep to research, learn, and create classic timeless garments.
Being on this fast fashion treadmill led to feelings of burnout. It wasn’t ideal for the design process, or for the innovation towards sustainable practices that has always been at my heart.
My journey towards Indigowares began here. I wanted to create a response to this burnout, instead placing ethics, craft and beauty at the centre of the design process.
I landed on the idea for Indigowares while I was taking some time away from the industry. Long story short, I had my two kids very close together. I had stepped back for a bit to be a stay-at-home mum to them and focus on my family.
It turns out that this also gave me the headspace to discover a new creative passion. During this time, I became fascinated by traditional dyeing techniques. I began to learn everything I could about natural indigo and experiment with the old Japanese art of Shibori, a resist dyeing process of pattern making.
From here, Indigowares was born. I realised that I could draw on my knowledge and experience as a printed textile designer and weaver to create a product that brought these age-old techniques to the modern aesthetic. I began designing to give these textiles rich elegance, adding a clean geometric twist that would look fresh and contemporary in today’s world.
The Blue Heart of Indigowares
I fell in love with Indigo because of its connection to craft, tradition, and the natural world.
Hand dyeing in indigo is much slower and more methodical method than chemical dyeing. Indigo is a naturally occurring vat dye, which comes from the Indigofera Tinctoria plant. One of the oldest dyes for colouring fabrics, it has been used for centuries all over the world and is still used for colouring our blue jeans.
It has a fascinating history and is as equally fascinating to use. The colour magically appears once the fabric leaves the dye pot and is exposed to air.
Indigowares is my way of bringing the magic of the indigo dyeing process, and of other handcrafted natural processes, to you.
At this time the design and part of Indigowares production is performed locally by myself or my seamstress Daniella. Outside of this, I work closely with artisans in Jaipur, Uttarakhand and Jaisalmer in India to repurpose and source brand elements such as organic indigo pigment, vintage kantha quilts and block prints.
My goal is for Indigowares to champion the local makers involved in the creation of each garment.
Indigowares’ ethos is centred around
All natural dyes.
Ethically sourced and repurposed materials.
Traceability in each garment from start to finish.
Quality handmade craftsmanship in each product.
The Indigo Experience
I am always looking for ways to involve you, as a lover of sustainability and handcrafted quality, in the processes that we’re so passionate about here at Indigowares.
I’ve long offered workshops Indigo dyeing combined with Shibori pattern making , and have now expanded this to suit a post-2020 world! Our Natural Indigo & Shibori DIY pattern making kits are the perfect way to get involved in the creative side of Indigowares ethos. With everything you need to start creating beautiful indigo shibori patterns from your own home, they’re a great natural option for beginners, tie dye enthusiasts, and anyone DIY inclined.
Ultimately, my goal is to share as much of this beautiful craft with you as possible.
I am so passionate about the process of creation, from drawing to design to the finished product. There is such magic in traditions like Shibori pattern making— such a thrill in never quite knowing how the design will turn out, even though you have wrapped and clamped it a dozen times before in the same way.
I am grateful to be able to create beautiful garments through these processes, and to share every step with you along the way.
