Sustainable Apparel & DIY Kits
Shipped across The Organic Cafe and Bakehouse
We make organic cotton and handloom clothes dyed with plants, offer custom fits, upcycle old garments with natural dyes, and provide DIY kits for home fabric dyeing.
Pricing Guide
Natural Dye & Block Print DIY Kits
Kit Varieties
- Starter Sampler: Basic introduction with 1-2 shades of dye paste.
- Full Block Print Set: Comprehensive kit intended for creating finished products.
Box Contents
- Dye Pastes: 3 to 5 glass jars (30ml-50ml) of standardized, ready-to-use natural pastes (Madder Red, Indigo Blue, Kasam Green).
- Tools: High-density application sponges, bamboo stirrers, and hand-carved wooden blocks (in premium kits).
- Substrate: Includes one organic cotton practice piece (swatch, handkerchief, or small tote).
- Guide: Printed instruction manual and QR code access to video tutorials.
Features
- Packaging: Plastic-free, reusable corrugated cardboard box.
- Safety: Non-toxic ingredients suitable for beginners and children.
- Formulation: Pre-mordanted paste requiring no boiling or complex chemistry.
Sustainable Ready-to-Wear Apparel
Collections
- Resurrected Line (Entry Tier): Upcycled unsold stock given a second life through heavy re-dyeing and Shibori techniques to mask flaws.
- Biome Collection (Premium Tier): New garments made from virgin organic fabrics, including overlays, dresses, and anti-fit shirts.
Material Specifications
- Fabric: 100% Natural fibers only, specifically Organic Cotton, Khadi, or Handloom Silk.
- Trims: Plastic-free buttons made from coconut shell or wood.
Production Technique
- Dyeing: Manual plant-based dyeing using Indigo, Madder root, Pomegranate peel, and Harda.
- Patterns: Created via manual resist techniques like Shibori, Clamp-dyeing, and Eco-printing (no digital prints).
Garment Upcycling & Re-Dyeing Service
Service Scope
- Pre-Process: Scouring wash to remove industrial softeners and synthetic residue ensuring dye absorption.
- Design Intervention: Strategic use of Tie-Dye (Shibori) or Eco-printing to camouflage existing stains.
- Coloring: Over-dyeing with strong natural colors like Indigo or Earthy Browns to ensure coverage.
Operational Details
- Timeline: 7 to 14 days required for the fermentation and oxidation processes.
- Eligibility: Only 100% natural fibers (Cotton, Linen, Silk) are accepted; synthetic blends are rejected.
- Logistics: Shipping costs to and from the facility are borne by the customer.
About Sustainable Apparel & DIY Kits
Why We Do What We Do
Color Ashram is about slow fashion and honest choices. For us, water is everything, so natural dyeing isn’t just a trend - it’s our answer to the mess fashion leaves behind. Every piece is made with intention and a bit of jugaad (resourcefulness). You’ll find us obsessed with plant colours and simple living.
What You’ll Find Here
- Timeless, comfortable clothes made from organic cotton, khadi, and handloom. No polyester, ever.
- Custom options if you want to tweak the fit or style - length, sleeves, whatever works for you.
- Stuff for everyone: kurtas, yoga wear, palazzos, stoles, tops, unisex pieces.
Our Unique Touch
- Plant and mineral dyes that are gentle on your skin and easy on the earth.
- Everything is either made to order or upcycled - check out our Resurrected Collection, where we flip “defects” or leftover stock into something new with shibori, eco-print, or block print.
- If you have an old favourite that’s stained or faded, send it over for our #BiomeResurrect service. We’ll give it a second life with natural dye.
Get Creative at Home
Our natural dye kits are for anyone curious about DIY fabric dyeing at home. Try your hand at shibori or eco-printing with step-by-step kits (comes with everything you need and a sample cloth).
How We Work
We use hands-on techniques like shibori, eco-printing (with real leaves and petals), hand painting, and batik with soy wax. Every piece is different, and nothing goes to waste. It’s slow, but it feels right.
Meet your Expert
Color Ashram
78 connects in last 3 months
My Story
Hey, we’re Color Ashram. Mysore called us in, and now it’s home. Started by me, Namrata, and Arun, this place is a mix of visual arts, theatre, dance, and a whole lot of heart. Sometimes you’ll find a Finnish grandma and a Dubai artist hanging out here, all ages, all stories. We’re not just a studio - we’re a space where hands get messy, ideas spark, and every day feels like a festival. We love connecting people to the earth, one color-stained palm at a time.
My Work
All Our Services - Natural dye training, eco-printing workshop, batik, indigo, playback theatre, studio memberships, internships, upcycled clothing service, custom design, DIY kits.
Open Makerspace - Anyone can join - homeschoolers, artists, hobbyists, travelers. Age, background, doesn’t matter. Just bring your energy.
Hands-On Learning - We forage, we grind, we stain our hands. It’s about learning by doing, and sometimes unlearning too.
Community & Collaboration - Talks, music, artist jams, ecological days. We connect local and global folks for real conversations and creative work.
Upcycling & Conscious Clothing - Got old clothes? We upcycle and re-dye. Plus, we make organic cotton yoga wear, naturally dyed and climate-friendly.
Innovation in Color - We’ve got one-step dyes, and we’re tinkering with microbial dye innovation. Always searching for easier, greener ways.
