Slow Fashion and Natural Dyes

Hi Caring Souls, 

It’s been a hot minute since got talking about how Isabelle Moon is more than just another yoga clothing brand. Meghan explained that we wanted to build a community through Isabelle Moon, so the question is – what kind of community?

We hope you have a rough idea through what we’ve communicated so far about amazing, empowering women, through writing and through podcasts. But we also hope that you’re noticed how we feel about sustainable and ethical fashion.

For Isabelle Moon, fabric choice is just one way we inch closer to sustainable fashion. We’ve also asked Mother Nature to lend us a few of her art supplies to provide you some gorgeous shades that’s unique to every piece. You might have noticed that even if you own two organic yoga bodysuits in the same color and pattern, they might have subtle differences between their shades and prints.

That's because all our pieces use natural dye. We work with local suppliers who use leaves that have been shredded and slowly boiled to extract the wonderful shades we're all obsessed with;

1. Tarum leaf for indigo

2. Secand wood for red

3. Mango leaf for yellow

Left to right: The Windflower Dress in Cinnamon Smoke using any leaves and branches steaming method, the Moonlit Shorts in Electric Rose using secand wood, and the Enchanted Leggings in Blue Tiramisu using tarum leaves.

The truth is, natural dyes don’t come without its own set of problems. Mass produced fashion items don’t really mesh well with this labor-intensive process, and often employ the use of chemicals to speed up the process. Not to mention the use of pesticides to protect the plants – and thus affecting the end products.

It's overall impact comes down to the kind of industry that uses it, that makes all the difference.

The Cloudless Bodysuit in Pearl Mist and Moonlit Shorts in Plumeria Petal in motion. Like the slow, controlled moves in yoga, we hope that the impact we make can be focused and deliberately positive.

One of the biggest game changers in the industrial revolution was the shift in the production rate. In fashion for instance, mass production meant that seasonal trends became the norm, and with it the increased demand and production of fashion items. Cheap labor at the cost of human exploitation, environmental impacts, not to mention mounting waste – all these things are concerns we need to address asap. Fast fashion has become a dire issue.

The combination of organic materials and working with artisans to take the time to naturally dye our fabric was a conscious choice. We didn’t want to be just another fast fashion option.

The plants used to create our dyes have never been sprayed with pesticides, which is possible because we're not in a hurry, and the natural dyes we use to stain our fabrics wonderful colors are just one tiny step in trying to create responsible impact. Our production rate is slow and steady, as the artisans and the tailors we work with are people, not machines. They ply their craft using skilled hands and infuse our pieces with care and character unique to each piece.

A little sneak peek into how our natural dyes are used!

Slow and steady in every way. And we know that you won’t mind waiting a bit when your favorite pair of organic yoga pants is out of stock.

Sustainability and ethical practices is such a complicated and interconnected web of better practices. So we’re comfortable in owning up to the fact that we’re far from perfect. But we’re constantly learning how we can improve the impact we create through Isabelle Moon, and we’re always on the lookout on how we can offer truly sustainable yoga clothes and organic activewear.

We’re always happy to answer your questions, and also take in feedback on how we can offer you better options. So join in the conversation, and let us know your thoughts!

Hoping for better and constantly learning,

Meghan Currie and Isabelle Moon