The Circular BLUE project proposes to grow and dye textile with Persicaria Tinctoria (Färber Knöterich/ Tade-Ai) in an urban community garden, Elisabeet in Soldiner Kiez, Berlin. The project experiments with a fermentation indigo vat: a dye-bath that uses bacteria to dye fabric with Indigo and a Sukumo color extraction: hot composting Persicaria leaves to get colors from the plants. The project is about implementing a sustainable and circular textile dye practice in an urban environment together with neighbors.
We grow dye plants in the soil. And the used-up dye bath is given back to the soil. This will be a fertilizer for the next cycle of growth. A “soil to soil” circular system for textile dye. The project is inspired by the indigo project from the Fibershed.org and their proposal for locally sourced and produced sustainable textile practice. We would like to produce a circular blue textile, made locally in our neighborhood.
Project Website: https://nerding.at/circular_blue/
The project is funded for the period of April to September 2025 and realised within the framework of the VOICE project (https://voice-community.eu/) with support from the Horizon Programme of the European Union under grant number 101135803.
