While traveling through Kerala, India, a couple of years ago, we chanced upon a handloom co-operative that hand-dyes organic cotton in herbs & botanicals chosen for their wellness benefits.
We were floored by our surroundings — the dye house was built with bricks and tiles made from filtered clay that was ground and mixed with beneficial herbs. It lay amidst lush, green tropical trees and plants; and herbs used in the traditional medicine system of India known as Ayurveda. The hand dyeing process is entirely chemical free and closed looped (the dye waste is recycled to nourish the land) so we knew we had to spread the cooperative’s good work somehow.
Kateson debuts with our line of classic baby clothing and a specially curated selection of naturally colored sustainable wood toys and coconut oil based 100% natural soaps. They are all made ethically and created with honesty and passion. Stay tuned for more products that skip the chemicals and rely on practices that benefit the environment and community, while drawing on the expertise of farmers, artisans and partners.
Our mission is to provide babies with classic clothes and products that sustainably use nutrients from Mother Earth - skipping the chemicals and relying instead on tried and true practices that benefit the environment and community. We infuse and hand-dye certified organic cotton with herbs chosen for their wellness benefits based on the Ayurvedic tradition and draw on the expertise of farmers, artisans and partners.
Dyeing is one of the most environmentally destructive parts of manufacturing clothes. About one half of the world’s wastewater problems are due to textile dyeing & production.
We set out to find a manufacturing process that was completely free of synthetic chemicals and toxic irritants. The natural ingredients we use come from plants based in the ancient Ayurvedic system of health. Ayurveda originated in Kerala, India, some 5000 years ago. The Sanskrit word ‘Ayur’ translates to ‘health’, while ‘veda’ means ‘wisdom’ or ‘knowledge’. The dye water waste is used to nourish the land and as bio gas. The fabric produced is organic, sustainable and biodegradable.
Hi, I’m Tanya and Kateson is an exciting new venture started by my husband, Josh, and I. We’ve had two additions to our family since we first began looking into creating Kateson - our very first Kateson model, Nikhita Rose, who is currently an intuitive, curious 2 year old; and Aanika Marchesa, 5 months old and inspiring us in every way. While pregnant with Nikhita and on the hunt for safe clothes and toys, I found it strange that while there is a plethora of organic clothing available on the market, there is zero mention of the dyes used to color the fabric. Having spent time in India with a cooperative dyeing organic fabric with beneficial herbs and learning about the detrimental effects of conventional dyeing on people and planet, we created Kateson for parents seeking products and baby clothes that are safe for babies and our precious water systems, while treasuring the expertise and health of our farmers and artisans.
