We do not have a shop or studio (I am based in Russell which makes it hard to have a shop...) but we do post RIT DyeMore liquid Dye all over NZ and any woven products all over the world.
Address
Russell, Northland
Flaxworx NZ - Shop for dye
Order your Rit DyeMore for Synthetics (or in our case for NZ Flax/Harakeke) dye here
These dyes will 'take' again on natural fibers such as Harakeke or Pandanus in HOT dye. We will also soon provide more color options for COLD dye - in particular for Piupiu and muka dyeing where we only want the exposed Muka to take the color.
Why buy RIT DyeMore Synthetic?
Welcome to the Flaxworx NZ - Order page for the new RIT Synthetic DYEMORE liquid dye - only available in New Zealand at this stage.
As many weavers may remember, we used to be able to use liquid and powder RIT Dye for hot dyeing/coloring our harakeke in somewhat natural looking colors, until the manufacturer changed their formula a few years ago and the dye would not longer 'take' on natural fibers.
So the other Dye we could use since then, Teri Dye, was the only option for hot dye (cold dye for piupiu in particular still works with the old dye).
However that one has a tendency to fade rather quickly and also the colors are not consistent and take a lot of practice to master to get the same results each time. Though they have way more options in terms of color variety than RIT ever had - so check them out as an alternative.
Many weavers have been looking for a additional dye for specific projects that require the color to look the same each time or more natural looking for a few years now.
RIT has come up with a solution - RIT Synthetic Dyemore liquid dye. It again takes on harakeke/NZ Flax and other natural fibers (such as Pandanus) when dyed hot but has not the same range of colors as the old RIT and does not come in Powder just yet.
The new RIT DyeMore also takes on COLD dye - for specific muka projects - Teri never done this. So for you Piupiu Makers out there, unless you are dying all natural with Paru - this is your option.
We here at Flaxworx have been trying for a number of months to get our hands on these dyes at a more reasonable price and are pleased to announce that we have now been approved as a re-seller in NZ and can offer you these dyes at a cheaper price than the big retailers such as spotlight (where they sell at $17 a bottle).
Please be aware that we for the time being are not holding huge amounts of stock as we have to pay for them upfront first, so if you are after a large amount - please give us a week to get it sorted. Also the new online shop is still in its trial phase so we have to see how things go first before perhaps upgrading that one too
"Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es" - There is nothing good, unless one does it
Who is behind Flaxworx NZ?
Rita Baker
Flaxworx NZ - Owner/Weaver
Flaxworx NZ is predominantly me - Rita Baker. I started weaving in 2006 and added to that a 10 month course at Unitec in Auckland that saw me graduate with a Certificate in Traditional and Contemporary Maori Weaving in November 2007. My main tutors where Whaea Ann Uerata and Judy Robson-Dean, however, I have learned much more over the years from many others.
I prefer natural colors and dyeing methods but do realize that sometimes color makes a pattern stand out more and make it more significant too.
For quite a few years I used RIT Dye and when that was longer possible due to the change in formula Teri Dye from the South Island.
I know that many weavers, like me, prefer RIT for the more natural look and consistency it gives. When the manufacturer came up with a new liquid dye, I tried it and loved it - so decided to use that - but the cost was a big factor. One bottle in any retail store is at least $16 so I tried to find a wholesaler or importer that would allow a wholesale price for big users/buyers. It took almost a year and many e-mails back and forth before I finally got accepted to be a on-seller myself to make this great resource available to more weavers around the country again at a more reasonable price.
Hence my new little venture into retail - its just a side project but I hope I can help many people with this.
