Dyeing with the Earth

Charlotte Linton is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Social Anthropology at All Souls College, University of Oxford.

"Charlotte Linton uniquely focuses on the complex nexus of political, environmental, and cultural factors informing local craft practices, which provides a nuanced understanding of the role of local communities in the pursuit of sustainable fashion. What is so very exciting about this book is that Linton offers a subtle critique of approaches to sustainability in the global North without reifying efforts to maintain dyeing practices among communities living in the shadows of the global textile and fashion industry. This timely and much-needed book is certain to be a huge success." - Susanne Kuechler, Professor of Art and Anthropology, University College London "By studying a tiny textile workshop on a remote Japanese island, Charlotte Linton reveals the challenges and rewards of working toward sustainably producing goods. Throwing into relief the conflict between this desire and the economic and environmental exigencies that hinder it, Linton recognizes that there is no silver bullet solution to sustaining traditional crafts in the modern postindustrial world, nor is there a neat division between tradition and innovation. She provokes readers of this timely and outstanding book to reflect on how craft practitioners navigate the uncertainties of modernity." - Christine M. E. Guth, author of Craft Culture in Early Modern Japan: Materials, Makers, and Mastery

• Introduction 11. The Mud Dyers of Amami Ōshima 312. The Alchemy of Producing Color 653. “Mottainai!” What a Waste! 1014. The Mejiro Bird 1355. “The Industrious Way of Doing Things” 1656. Dyeing with the Earth 203Conclusion 237Acknowledgments 257Glossary 259Notes 263References 269Index