Create Natural Dye from Sea Urchins
with Seelie Studio + Materevolve · July 25
from $180.00
In this collaborative workshop with Materevolve, we’ll explore natural dyeing with sea urchins and create beautiful peach and salmon-toned color using materials sourced from California’s coastal ecosystems. Guided by Seelie Studio and Materevolve founder Krystle Moody Wood, participants will learn how art, ecology, and scientific inquiry can intersect through natural color.
Together, we’ll explore the process of creating dye from purple sea urchins — a species whose overpopulation has contributed to the decline of kelp forests along the West Coast. Along the way, we’ll discuss the ecological story behind the “urchin problem,” current kelp restoration efforts, and how creative practices can reconnect us to stewardship and ocean conservation.
Participants will create their own naturally dyed textile using a Fibershed Climate Beneficial™ verified wool beanie while learning about the chemistry and process behind sea urchin dyeing. Depending on the workshop format, participants may also have the opportunity to observe or interact with live urchins and learn more about these remarkable marine animals.
Grounded in creativity, curiosity, and care for the natural world, this workshop is an invitation to slow down, work with your hands, and deepen your connection to coastal ecosystems through color.
Date: Saturday, July 25
Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm
Location: Fibershed Learning Center
Anyone under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Please review our Terms and Cancellation Policy before booking.
Why urchin dye?
Purple sea urchins have eaten 95% of the kelp along the California coast.
The urchins are not the villains; rather, human-caused climate change created the “urchin problem.”
Kelp forests can sequester up to 20 times more carbon per unit area than land-based forests.
Kelp is home to thousands of different oceanic species.
Creating natural dye from sea urchins creates an incentive for the removal of sea urchins from the oceans.
Urchin dye is a way of honoring these magnificent creatures rather than discarding them.