Even a quick boil of beetroot extracts the most mesmerising dark purply-pink colour that would appeal to any creatively inclined eye. The dye it gives is much subtler than the colour in the pan, though gorgeous nonetheless. But beetroot is indeed a ‘fugitive dye’. For this reason, I invest a little more effort in treating the fabric before I submerge it in the beetroot juices, for maximum absorption. I also chose a different fabric as a base for the beetroot shorts: speckled organic cotton with grey-beige hues, that will maintain a strong character when the colour fades over time, though I may very well choose to dye it again and again over time.

(photo by Julius Honnor)