Malú Colorín

I’m Malú Colorín, a Mexican natural dyer and designer based in West Wicklow, Ireland. I am currently in the research and development stage of
my brand, Colorínmade.

At the core of my venture is providing one-of-a-kind, naturally-dyed garments and accessories using regenerative farm-to-closet practices.
After having studied graphic design and fine arts and having worked a variety of jobs, in 2018 I discovered the art and science of dyeing textiles
with natural materials. Since then, I have been mostly self-taught, and my passion for this craft just keeps growing the more I unearth. It has also given me the opportunity to tap into the deep understanding and appreciation for cloth that runs on my mother’s side of the family.
With Colorínmade, I aim to merge the Mexican and Irish textile traditions to produce timeless,
size-free pieces of clothing that are made to last, be mended, passed on or repurposed, before returning back to the soil in a completely safe way.

What are your business objectives?

My main objective with this business is to earn a living by making what I’m passionate about. If I can achieve financial stability by playing with
fabric and making colourful potions out of plants, without having to take other jobs on the side, I will consider Colorínmade a success.
Another goal is to be able to make a change in the way people perceive their clothing and how it can make them connect with the natural world around them.

Through the workshops I teach and the garments I sell, I want my customers to realise that it makes the most sense to wear natural fibres, dyed with consciously-harvested plants and insects. It’s possible to reverse climate change through regenerative farming practices and the textiles we wear can play a big role in improving soil health.

Finally, I think the only truly sustainable way to build a business is through a circular economy,
which is why I want Colorínmade to be a means of collaboration with other designers, makers and farmers.

My learnings from the Crafting Business programme:

Thanks to the Crafting Business programme I have learned that it takes much more than a greatly-crafted product to build a successful
business that can sustain growth. I now have an array of tools to help me bring my vision to life in a realistic way.
At the beginning of the programme I felt like I was merely “playing it by ear” in terms of how to set my prices, how to reach my right audience how
to deal with the financial aspect of the business.
Upon completion of the programme, I feel I have gained access to tried and tested strategies that can give my venture focus and a stable foundation for development.
After having sat down and distilled what I envision into the Business Model Canvas, I no longer feel the need to do everything by myself and at
the same time. I now have a more solid sense of structure that will prevent me from going around blindfolded from now on.

My top tips that I have learnt on this journey:

• Be open to challenging the way you’ve been
doing things and the assumptions you have
about your business, your customers and what
you’re actually providing for them.

• Not every business needs to be an international
venture with a turnover of millions
to be successful. It all depends on how you picture
yourself and what you want to achieve.
What’s important is to have a clear idea of your
own goals and have a solid plan to get there.

• Set yourself limits to how long you’re going to
keep going at something. If it doesn’t start paying
off with tangible results, consider pivoting,
tweaking, or stoping altogether.

• There is someone out there willing to pay for
what you make, the trick is to do your homework
(a.k.a. research) so you can find that
someone and communicate the benefits of
your craft in a language they can understand.

• Numbers are scary, but they define whether
you’re a business or not. Take a deep breath,
drink a mug of good coffee and sit down to assess
your finances. If your strategy is not resulting
in a sale, why are you doing it? Research,
iterate and analyse your numbers again.