5 minutes with…Bedstraw & Madder
Founded by Primrose Matheson and Vanessa Barker, Bedstraw + Madder is a British label making super soft knickers that are 100% plant dyed without the use of chemicals.
What was your eureka moment for this idea of naturally dyed knickers!
Our eureka moment was realising that the clothing we wear touches our skin all day every day yet we don’t often realise where it was made, who made it, and the materials used in the making of it. As our skin is our body’s largest organ and it absorbs what it touches, you suddenly realise that your clothing can be friend OR foe! This is especially the case if you have sensitive skin. Historically we used plant pigments with beneficial anti-inflammatory qualities and we wanted to revive this wisdom not only for our health but for a healthier planet because as we know fashion is a dirty business.
Educate us! What are the health and well-being benefits of wearing Bedstraw and Madder underwear over other brands in your space?
All our underwear is made using natural plant dyes like Madder (which comes from a root) and has natural anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities. We use Tacoma which has powerful antioxidant elements due to the flavonoids it possesses. Vembadam - another plant we use - has anti-allergic properties. Unlike every other brand out there we don’t use bleach so all our cotton is in its natural greige state before we dye it. Plant colour is the new pearly white in our opinion as that bright white knicker is not as pure as it looks! Our knickers are dyed using traditional Indian methods so ingredients like soya milk are used in place of more common metallic mordants. All our knickers are made from organic cotton which is the most breathable and most hygienic material. What is fantastic is that our knickers are fully biodegradable. I think we can say we are one of the first to accomplish this which we are very proud of. Our elastic is made from natural rubber with organic cotton. It is a true Soil2Soil product, which is how we believe all clothing should be made, in a nice clean circular system.
Tell us about the first collection that you are launching and where we can buy it!
The first collection we are launching is our Farm2Fibre Gingham Range in 2 colourways - Lilac Rose and Summer Breeze. You will be pleased to know you can head to the website now and pre-order for an October 12th delivery. All our Farm2Fibre are limited edition as they are made from regenerative cotton we grew from seed with our partners in India.
We have just planted our new crop which is very exciting.It is regenerative because it actively helps sequester carbon in our atmosphere back into the soil where it can be stored safely so it plays a huge role in mitigating climate change. Launching in October ‘21 we also have some basic everyday knickers in GOTS organic cotton jersey available in different styles. So there will be something for everyone!
