Burnout can be a beginning…if we let it be.
Hi, I’m Carin—Master Dyer and Founder of Dye on the Side. I spent years in the high-pressure world of corporate fashion, chasing success in an industry that often ignored the impact it had on people and the planet. When I became a mom at the start of the pandemic, everything shifted. The burnout hit hard. The disconnect from my creativity, my body, my truth, it was undeniable.
That’s when I returned to the roots of who I really am.
Dyeing with nature became my way back. Back to my breath. Back to beauty. Back to myself. What started as a quiet act of resistance against toxic systems has become a joyful, liberating practice, and now, a business built around connection, healing, and color.
I host natural dye workshops for events, team-building, and celebrations, each one designed to spark creativity, calm the nervous system, and offer a space to play, experiment, and make something meaningful with your own two hands. Whether we’re extracting color from petals, foraged leaves, or kitchen scraps, we’re also making space for slowing down, reconnecting, and feeling fully alive.
But this story started long before the burnout. I learned to dye as a teen under the guidance of my mentor, dye master Karen Skoglund. She brought me to learn the craft other master dyers all over the world. Together we created rainbows for large events and festivals, and I felt firsthand how color-making could bring people together. That early magic led me to a education and career in Textile Development + Design. I kept teaching, experimenting, and holding space for others to reconnect with nature and creativity on their own terms.
I’m a mother, maker, and master dyer with 25+ years of experience working at the intersection of art, sustainability, and textile innovation.
I’ve led immersive natural dye workshops for Apple, Facebook HQ, Airbnb, Athleta, and more, helping teams reconnect to creativity and the Earth through color and play. Before founding Dye on the Side, I was Manager of Surface Development at Athleta, where I led sustainable textile innovation. I’ve also designed for brands like Old Navy and Free People, always advocating for materials and methods that honor both people and the planet.
I hold a degree in Textile Design from Jefferson University and have taught and developed curriculum on natural dyeing for all ages and skill levels from toddlers to tech leaders. Earlier in my career, I worked as a textile collection assistant for The Paley Design Center, curating educational exhibits and archiving over 200,000 historic pieces. This experience deeply informed my reverence for traditional dyeing and pattern techniques across cultures and centuries.
My work is rooted in joy, color alchemy, and a belief that creative practice can be a powerful force for community, clarity, and healing.
Creating with Purpose
At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to creating with integrity for people, for place, and for the planet.
My workshops and collaborations are more than just creative experiences; they’re rooted in care, connection, and advocacy. I’m proud to work alongside local businesses and organizations that share these values—like Save the Meadows, Half Mad Honey, Yin Your Way Through, Alchemy X, and Main Line Shift, Kith + Kin —amplifying each other’s work and weaving a stronger, more sustainable community.
From the plants we forage to the partners we support, every decision is intentional. I believe creativity can be a form of resistance, a return to nature, and a tool for healing, not just for ourselves, but for the world around us. The learning never stops, and I remain committed to evolving in ways that uplift community, protect the earth, and support those doing the deep work of change.