Cozy as hell, one of a kind, plant dyed, hand painted, upcycled, gender free clothes.
Round Trip Goods is Leah Rich, in Denver, Colorado.
Origins
Faced with burnout in the industrial design industry, I decided to make a big change toward something more sustainable and enjoyable.
Discovering natural dyeing was the key that allowed me to combine my love of plants, fabrics, and working with my hands, all while creating within the constraints of waste based design.
I come from a long line of diy'ers, rebels, and craftspeople in Kentucky and currently live and work in Denver.
Living Color We Can Feel
Marigold, scabiosa, cosmos, eucalyptus, coreopsis, morning glory, madder, indigo, cochineal. Colors from plants carry the properties of the plant with them into the fabric. Dyes from plants have a quality of color unlike synthetics and history with us as humans and makers that is very old. I grow, forage, and purchase botanicals responsibly for my dyes and inks.
Dye Classes
I teach dye classes all along the front range year round.
My most frequent class is a Bundle Dye Bandana Class in which students learn the basics of plant dyeing, textile prepping, and are walked through the steps of creating their own plant dyed cotton bandana. No supplies or experience is needed. Check the link at the top left for class dates and ticket information.
Artwork
Leah creates series of wall hangings using plant dyed cotton, often incorporating scraps from previous projects, further minimizing textile waste.
Upcycling Textiles
Sourcing my fabric second hand is a pillar of my textile practice. Gently used cotton fabric and clothing are easy to find in big cities and I use this abundant material rather than contributing to new textile production which is labor intensive and requires vast amounts of water and waste. Fast Fashion is a humanitarian and feminist crisis, and a major contributor to landfills and illegal over-seas dumping.
Lookin' for Heroes
If you feel passionate about waste based art or sustainable practices in fashion and have as little as $3 a month to spare, consider becoming a Patreon Member. Patrons help me keep working in a very real way.
Patrons see new products first and get a behind the scene look at Round Trip!
FAQ
SLIDING SCALE & TRADES: I have traded clothing for tai chi lessons, pottery, beer, and other artwork, reach out via email if you'd like to make a trade.
I offer a sliding scale price for anyone who identifies as low income, BIPOC, trans, gender non-conforming, as well as our veterans, teachers, climate workers, farmers, and artists. Use the code NEIGHBOR15 for 15% of anything in the shop anytime, no questions asked.
SKIN SENSITIVITY: I use only biodegradable, non-toxic, planet safe soaps and fabric softeners to make sure our fabrics are safe for all skin types (our favorite is 7th generation products). While most plant dyes have almost no record of allergies, please make sure you are not allergic to any of these plants before using our textiles on your own skin.
SHIPPING : Items in stock will ship out within 2 days unless I am traveling. If I am away from my merchandise, I will have a notice at the top of the page of the next soonest ship date.
RETURNS: I do not do returns but am happy to exchange items if you are not satisfied with a new item in the first 30 days. I strive to show items accurately and with enough detail to convey each items' qualities. Proper care of products will ensure a long life of the item and its infused colors. If you have any questions about an item, don't hesitate to email me.
Blog Posts
Cacti Spirits →
Aiming for Black →
Bundle Dyeing on the Go →
Clay Resist & Indigo: Initial Test →
Round Trip Goods is a cis-gendered white woman owned business. I acknowledge that my privileges are largely responsible for my ability to do my art. I work to be less ignorant, do minimal harm to the communities around me, and support other artists along the way.
I honor traditional textile workers, cotton pickers, block printers, garment workers, the Cheyenne and Arapahoe peoples who are indigenous to where I now live and work, and the dyers who have kept ancient earth skills and knowledge alive through the horrors of colonization and the growing climate crisis.
Product Care
Items are embedded with living plant dyes and will change with you over time. This is natural and part of the journey of the fabric and plant infusion. Some colors darken, some lighten, some shift.
If you have the time, hand washing is best but a delicate machine cycle with like colors and cold water works too. Tumblr dry with low heat or hang dry.
Ironing items after they dry works great at getting cotton back to a smooth finish.
Sustainability Efforts
All clothing and cloth artwork is made from second hand textiles. All shipping envelopes are pre-used, 90% of my studio equipment comes from the thrift store. All textile scraps are either reused into product creation or recycled with a textile recycler.
Make the Round Trip
Our items are designed to be unisex, user-friendly, and multi functional to encourage creative interactions and a long life for the product. Hopefully you use your Round Trip Goods until they are worn out from love and daily use. We encourage you to repair, and repurpose your products if you think it’s at the end of their life cycle. We would love to hear of ways you reuse old textiles of any kind. Post on social with #maketheroundtrip to share ideas.