From Peel to Pattern: The Art of Natural Dyeing with Adiv

Step into Adiv's dyeing studio and the first thing you notice is the fragrance—marigold, rose, and hibiscus petals all waiting to be transformed. At MarketPlace, we are continually expanding our sustainable fabric line, and partnering with Adiv means working with artisans who combine tradition with innovation. Through their Temple Dye Project, recycled temple offerings become vibrant, eco-friendly colors, while dye water is reused and the petals are composted back into the earth.

Marigold petals spread out to dry.

In one area, the women artisans prepare for one of Adiv's signature creations: onion-peel prints. It begins with mordanted and freshly washed dried fabric, laid out like a blank canvas. The onion peels—collected from organic farmers in Nasik and local restaurants—must be completely dried to release their full color. Each peel is carefully placed by hand, arranged in patterns that will later emerge as earthy browns. The fabric is folded and steamed for a precise amount of time, the heat coaxing color from peel to cloth. When cooled and unwrapped, the patterns are revealed—part-controlled design, part nature's whimsy.

The journey doesn't end there. The printed fabric is then immersed in natural dye baths, each pigment weighed and mixed with exacting care. This is not a process that can be rushed—or repeated in exactly the same way—making every length of cloth a one-of-a-kind creation. Watching the artisans at work, you see not just skill but deep respect for the materials, the environment, and the traditions they carry forward. What emerges from their hands is more than fabric—it's the story of sustainability made visible.

Finished MarketPlace garments hand-crafted from Adiv onion-peel prints.