Check Out Liz Mortensen’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Mortensen.  

Hi Liz, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Laila Textiles was founded in the summer of 2018. I had just finished studying abroad in Israel that Spring and was introduced to Natural Dyes in Israel. I was fascinated by the ancient history of natural dye, and that summer, I spend my entire break experimenting and playing with natural dyes. I was staying with my family in Clarkston, Michigan, and used the loft of their barn as a mini-dye studio. I had so many failed projects and learned so much from that summer. I went on to finish my degree but spent all my free time naturally dyeing textiles in my tiny 1-bedroom college dorm I shared with my two best friends. I started off by dyeing silk scarves and sold them to friends and family. From there I worked many odd day jobs to fund my business, and now almost 5 years later, it is my full-time job. Today, we function as a natural dye education and apparel company. All items are hand dyed with natural dyes in our Chicago Dye Studio. We also teach other how to dye with plants through our monthly dye workshops. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I believe that the road of owning a small business never comes without some struggle. I have experienced some struggle on the creative side when working with natural dyes. It took me many years to get a grasp on natural dyes. They can be very unpredictable in many ways. Everything matters when dyeing and interacting with them down to the temperature of your water, pH of your water, or even what metal your dye pot is made. So many things can change the dye color drastically. I have had many failed projects and often have lots of imperfect products to sell at a discount. I have learned to embrace this struggle and have leaned more into creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Natural Dyes have taught me endless patience and adaptability. When I have a failed project now, I simply dye over it and create a one-of-a-kind unique item that has a story. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My art/ business is known for unique naturally dyed apparel & accessories as well as natural dye education workshops. I specialize in unique wearable art. My process starts with growing many of my dye flowers from seed. I spend a lot of time tending to my natural dye garden and connecting with plants. My pieces reflect the bright, unique patterns you can find in nature. 

For my brand, I dye silk scarves, ribbons, textiles, and even one-of-a-kind garments. All garments I dye are sourced second-hand and often have stains, rips, or need some love. I am able to make the repairs and give the garment new life by dyeing over stains. It gives me so much joy to create 1 of 1 pieces from secondhand garments that often were on their way to the landfill. 

On the natural dye education side of my business – that part includes my DIY Natural Dye kits and monthly in-person natural dye workshops. I am so passionate about sharing my love for natural dyes, and it bring me so much joy to see others dye something with plants for the first time. Each month I host a variety of workshops on natural dye and how my process works. People can also discover natural dyes at home with my DIY Dye Kits, that include everything you need to dye your own silk scarf with plants. 

Teaching workshops has brought new life to my art and practice. I am very proud of the community I have created by hosting workshops. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lailatextiles.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lailatextiles

Image Credits
Liz Mortensen