Plant Dyed Sweatpants

Ultrasoft sweatpants dyed with almond shells that were heading to the rubbish dump.

$395.00 $118
Plant Dyed Sweatpants. Brown edition
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Size
Size guide

Model is 6ft 4 / 193cm with a 33 inch / 83cm waist, and wears size Large.

  • Dye made from leftover nutshells from farms
  • 150 almond shells go into each pair
  • Garment dyed for softness

For the last 5 years we’ve been experimenting with different ways to make colour that reduce the industry’s reliance on petroleum-based dyes. We’ve worked with everything from the world’s first black algae dye, to wood and blueberries, minerals like celadonite and hematite, and even DNA.

One of the most interesting places to look for new ways of creating colour is in the by-products of other industries. And every year millions of tonnes of almond shells are left to rot or set on fire to get rid of them. So we decided to use them to garment dye a collection of ultrasoft chillout gear instead.

There are five pieces in total – a t shirt, a hoodie, a sweatshirt, sweatshorts, and these sweatpants. Every piece is garment dyed in a giant bath of almond shell dye to make them ultrasoft. It only takes about 450 grams of pigment to dye a single piece of clothing. Which is around 150 individual shells. And not too surprisingly they come out the same kind of colour as ground-up almonds.

Technical Details

Material made and dyed by RDD in Portugal: 50% cotton, 50% recycled polyester
Dye made from almond shells
Two open side pockets
Back pocket with snap button closure
Elasticated rope-tied waistband finished with macramé knots
Material weighs 280g/m2
Sweatpants weigh 590 grams
Machine wash 30°C
Constructed in Portugal
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Ultrasoft chillout gear dyed with plants

We’ve built a collection of ultrasoft chillout gear dyed entirely with plants. There are five pieces in total – a t shirt, a sweatshirt, a hoodie, sweatshorts, and these sweatpants. And each one gets its colour from plant waste that we’ve intercepted on its way to landfill.

Dyed with almond shells that were going to waste

Every year, millions of tonnes of almond shells are left to rot or set on fire, just to get rid of them. It doesn’t feel like humanity at its smartest. So we’re taking these leftover shells from the almond production industry, and transforming them into a low-impact, natural pigment for dyeing clothing.

Each piece is garment dyed in a giant bath of almond shell dye to make it ultrasoft.

150 almond shells go into each pair

Once the edible part of an almond is removed and shipped off to supermarkets, you’re left with a woody shell that’s difficult to use. But by grinding these shells down to a fine powder we turn them into a pigment capable of replacing petroleum-based synthetic dyes. It only takes about 450 grams of pigment to dye a single piece of clothing. Which is around 150 individual shells.

Grown in Spain, dyed in Portugal

We source our nutshells from a farm in Spain – the world’s second largest almond producer after California. The shells are ground down to create a brown pigment before we take them across the border to RDD, a cutting-edge Portuguese dyehouse. Here we mix the almond pigment with a water-based binder to create liquid dye. We then cut and sew each t shirt, and submerge the whole thing in a giant vat of the dye. 

It only takes 450 grams of pigment to dye a single piece of clothing. Which is around 150 almond shells.

Garment dyed to make them ultrasoft

The process of submerging clothes in dye like this is called garment dyeing. It’s more difficult and takes more time than regular dyeing. And it’s especially difficult when you’re using a completely new kind of dye. But it can help make fabric incredibly soft, and look and feel lived in from day one, with colour building up in the stitching and creases, while coming out paler at the edges.

Made from 50% recycled materials

The sweatpants are made from 50% cotton, and 50% polyester that’s made entirely from recycled plastics. At 280g/m2 the material has a nice weight to it, while remaining soft and breathable.

An elasticated waist and three pockets

You’ll find two open side pockets, and a third pocket at the back which closes with a hidden snap. The pants are elasticated at the waist and tighten with a rope finished with macramé knots.

How we’re using nature to rethink colour

For the last 5 years we’ve been experimenting with different ways to make colour that reduce the industry’s reliance on petroleum-based dyes. We’ve worked with everything from the world’s first black algae dye, to wood, turnips and blueberries, minerals like celadonite and hematite, earth pigments like ochre, and even DNA.

Size + Fit

The Plant Dyed Sweatpants are designed with a regular fit.

Size XS S M L XL XXL
Fits waist 71 - 76 76 - 81 81 - 86 86 - 91 91 - 96 96 - 101
Outside leg 100 101.5 103 104.5 106 107.5
Size XS S M L XL XXL
Fits waist 28 - 30 30 - 32 32 - 34 34 - 36 36 - 38 38 - 40
Outside leg 39.3 40 40.6 41.1 41.7 42.3