Model in a butter-coloured coat with fringes of plant-dyed fabric, from the MIIYU Natural collection

MIIYU · Natural dyeing

Clothes dyed with plants: where does MIIYU's colour come from?

MIIYU atelier · Portugal

MIIYU Natural's colour comes from plants, lavender flowers, eucalyptus leaves and onion skins, and is made by hand in our atelier in Portugal, with no chemicals or synthetics at any stage of the dyeing. That is why no two pieces come out the same.

Why a fashion store decided to dye with plants

MIIYU was born inside THE, in our own atelier, from a question we found it strange that nobody was asking.

Hand resting on a shoulder over a mustard knit jumper dyed with plants
"We worry so much about what we eat, and not at all about what we wear, on the largest organ we have. That's strange."
Teresa, founder of THE and MIIYU

MIIYU is designed for the "New New": women of today who, though no longer young, are determined, active, full of ideas and interested in a better world. An ageless label.

We didn't reinvent the wheel

We went back to the way things used to be dyed. No chemicals, no synthetics, nothing to fix the colour. It sounds simple, but it isn't. Natural dyeing is a passion and, we confess, a headache: we have been refining it for three years here, in the same atelier where every piece is designed, cut, sewn and finished with couture details.

Dry autumn leaves and a MIIYU label on natural-toned fabric
The raw material of colour.
Hand stirring an amber plant extract in a glass beaker, in the MIIYU atelier
The extract.
Tailor's scissors and a tape measure on raw fabric, with a MIIYU label
The cut.
Wooden tools and a MIIYU label in the pocket of a linen apron
The hands.

Why we don't dye the finished piece

Much of the natural dyeing done at scale is applied to the finished garment. It doesn't work for ours: we combine several fibres in the same piece, plus cotton thread, and each one shrinks in its own way.

A piece dyed once finished would lose its shape. So we work the colour differently, here in the atelier.

Rail with MIIYU pieces in pinkish and raw tones, beside a plant, in the atelier
MIIYU Natural Dyeing collection at THE
CollectionMIIYU Natural DyeingWool, silk and cotton pieces dyed by hand with plants.See the collection

Why no two pieces are the same

These are colours you don't pick from a catalogue: they come out of the dye bath. The same recipe gives each piece a slightly different tone. It is not a flaw. It is the signature of the hands that made it.

  • Texture of plant-dyed wool in aubergineAubergine
  • Texture of plant-dyed cotton and silk in clayClay
  • Texture of plant-dyed fabric in butterButter
  • Texture of plant-dyed silk in sageSage
  • Texture of plant-dyed silk in indigoIndigo
Monstera leaves beside raw-toned MIIYU pieces hanging against a white wall, in the atelier
Natural fibres.
Made to breathe.

Fibres that let the skin breathe

In the MIIYU Natural line we choose natural fibres, such as virgin wool, silk crêpe and cotton, so that the raw material, the dyeing and the finished piece follow the same logic. They are breathable fibres, designed for women who feel temperature changes more throughout the day. The composition of every piece is always on its product page.

Profile portrait of a red-haired woman with a sculptural grey necklace over a linen dress

Other MIIYU lines

Upcycling, pieces made from fabrics left idle in textile-industry warehouses.

Accessories, to complete the look.

Frequently asked questions

Is MIIYU a Portuguese brand?
Yes. It is designed and produced in Portugal, in the brand's own atelier.
Which plants are used?
Lavender flowers, eucalyptus leaves and onion skins, among other plant extracts.
Do you use chemicals to fix the colour?
No. We use no chemicals or synthetics at any stage of the dyeing.
Will my piece look exactly like the photo?
Very similar, never identical. Hand dyeing gives each piece subtle variations of tone.
Where can I see the pieces?
Online and at the THE stores in Porto and Lisbon.