How to Dye Fabric with Sea Urchins 12/6

$125.00

In this workshop, you’ll help the kelp by dyeing fabric with the overpopulation of purple sea urchins. And meet live urchins on a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the Aquarium of the Bay.

Sea Urchins are incredible creatures. However, due to human impact, their populations have gone unchecked, and they have consumed 95% of the kelp forests in California. In efforts to help the kelp and honor these magnificent animals, you’ll dye a wool scarf, pillowcase, and pocket squares using urchins from various kelp restoration projects along the West Coast. Join us at the intersection of environmental responsibility and artistic expression.

December 6, Saturday, at the Aquarium of the Bay, from 12:00 – 4:00.
PIER 39 The Embarcadero and Beach St, San Francisco, CA

$125, plus a $25 materials fee paid directly to the instructor 

In this workshop, you’ll help the kelp by dyeing fabric with the overpopulation of purple sea urchins. And meet live urchins on a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the Aquarium of the Bay.

Sea Urchins are incredible creatures. However, due to human impact, their populations have gone unchecked, and they have consumed 95% of the kelp forests in California. In efforts to help the kelp and honor these magnificent animals, you’ll dye a wool scarf, pillowcase, and pocket squares using urchins from various kelp restoration projects along the West Coast. Join us at the intersection of environmental responsibility and artistic expression.

December 6, Saturday, at the Aquarium of the Bay, from 12:00 – 4:00.
PIER 39 The Embarcadero and Beach St, San Francisco, CA

$125, plus a $25 materials fee paid directly to the instructor 

What’s included:

  • Access to the Aquarium of the Bay

  • Behind-the-scenes guided tour of Aquarium of the Bay

  • Personal dye station with ingredients for a half-gallon sea urchin dye bath

  • One 14” silk pillowcase with a zipper

  • One merino wool scarf 8x72” Climate Beneficial Verified and made in the USA

  • One urchin shell (also known as a test)

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.