Tea lovers will probably not like this one because most of them, especially the older generation born in the 1980s and earlier, like saving teabags.
They use one teabag to make two cups of tea, and this was before the New Dawn. However, seeing that their favourite tea can be used in many ways should be thrilling.
Moving with sustainability, most fashion brands are looking at natural resources to dye fabrics.
Mushrooms, lichen, algae, plants and herbal tisanes, like rooibos, are some of the most sought-after natural resources by fashion designers.
Adele du Toit, SA Rooibos Council (SARC) spokesperson, says it’s great to see rooibos being used to dye everything from shawls, scarves, T-shirts, hoodies, dresses and trousers – because the fast fashion trend of rapidly producing inexpensive clothing by mass retailers in response to the latest fad is toxic for the Earth.
“It dries up water sources, pollutes rivers and streams and is responsible for nearly 10% of global carbon emissions – more than all international and maritime shipping combined. One of the three main drivers of pollution is dyeing and finishing, which amounts to 36% of the industry’s global pollution impact,” says Du Toit.
Although natural dyes are more expensive than artificial ones, they are better for the environment and our health.
Rooibos has become a popular natural dye for wool, cotton and yarn. It even has its own Pantone colour code – a standardised colour-matching system used worldwide to help printers and designers specify and control colours for printing.
Read the latest issue of IOL Fashion digital magazine here.