S6E08 Growing Color with Laura Luchtman

Laura says:

There is an interest of designers and artists to work with natural dyes but the industry itself uses them to a minimum as they require stable dyes but there is a mind shift, you do not need stable dyes for all products such as swimwear which has a short life span”.

Laura Luchtman talks to TCA about her journey from fast fashion to sustainable fashion looking for a greater purpose. She experiments with natural pigments and materials, always searching for solutions to problems that exist in the fashion and textile industry. In this episode, Laura explains how she experiments with color-growing bacteria and how this process creates a new aesthetic, researching to answer that big question: can our what we wear heal us? 

Laura Luchtman was born in the Netherlands where she lives and works in Rotterdam. She is a textile and surface designer investigating the social, cultural, and ecological dimensions of color. She develops new ways to experience color through bio-based pigments, inclusive systems, and translating color and pattern across different contexts. From her chromatic atelier Kukka in Rotterdam, she works with brands like Puma, ranging from conceptual presentations to applied collections. Her research into sustainable dyes highlights her hands-on approach and commitment to conscious design. Laura’s work has been shown globally, published, and presented at TEDx. In 2023, she won the DNA Paris Design Award for Chromarama Riso.