Monje Winery / Vinotinte

The Vinotinte Philosophy

The strong passion and conviction of a much needed sustainable future, the creative business industry and a high standard lifestyle, made Felipe Monje and Nathalie Leturcq start together the adventure of dyeing natural fabrics with ecological pigments and materials proceeding from the Bodegas Monje vineyards. Both share the principles needed for any successful collaboration -apart from the raw materials- leading to the fashion brand Vinotinte, Wine-dye, in Spanish.

The investigation Nathalie was leading about the cream of tartar (an acidic byproduct of fermenting grapes into wine) took her to contact Felipe Monje. Since then, the tannins, mordants and the winemaking process have guided the artisanal and ecological procedures that come together at the Monje Winery. Monje Wines was a traditional winery of the Island of Tenerife founded in 1970 which has evolved into a business with a wide range of leisure-activities focused on rural and enotourism.

Nathalie imprints her own philosophy onto her creations, as we can see reflected in the following quotation of her book “Dyeing in the Vineyards. Natural Dyes with wine, wine leafs and grapes…”:

‘The modern World and its inhabitants are falling sick, it’s time to change direction and decide, consciously, the way of living in harmony with our beautiful natural surrounding’

Seasons, times and colours

Something similar happens with natural dyes, which colours are obtained in an ecological way in the natural surroundings of the vineyards from Bodegas Monje. Nathalie gathers wine leafs, flowers, stems, roots, everything she can find in the natural ecosystem living amongst the Hollera vineyards. She extracts and shows the true colours of these natural products directly onto the chosen textiles: silk, cotton, linen…

The harvesting process continues all year long since the leaves present different compositions, colours and shades throughout the seasons. The creation process is therefore seasonal, exciting and very unexpectable, leading to unique garments with a surprise factor.

Timing is a fundamental factor in the finish of the final garment and its colours. The final result depends mainly on the techniques used to transfer the colour. These procedures are chosen based upon the fabric, the use of heat during the process and the composition of the plant material. All of these combined with the use of mordants and other particularities determine the final result of the print.

These seasonal factors and timings are crucial in the Vinotinte production, far away from mass production. Being able to be carried away by the surroundings and rhythms of nature is key to success.

Fabrics and garments

Using natural dyes and natural fibers is surely more beneficial for the skin than using chemical dyes and wearing synthetic clothes. The used textiles in Vinotinte can be from animal origin, like silk and wool, or from plant origin, like linen and cotton. Following Vinotintes and Nathalie’s philosophy, we only use natural fibers selected with lots of care.

The beginning of Vinotinte started with the creation of a Special Limited Edition Collection of high quality printed silk scarves. The lucky owners of these printed scarves will have one of a kind items produced and designed by Nathalie Leturcq herself with a combination of various dyeing techniques, some of them of very ancient origins.

T-shirts are used daily by millions of people around the globe. That’s why Vinotinte has started to design and produce exclusive T-shirts for men and women who want to dress in a very unique way without giving up comfort. It’s a very fun way of bringing the Vinotinte philosophy closer to everyone who wishes to take part and get to know this unique and ecological quality product.

Buy Vinotinte products

The Vinotinte experience

Bodegas Monje gives everybody the opportunity to experience and get to know the Vinotinte natural dyeing techniques by taking part of the whole process. During the workshop the attendees will learn how to use these natural dyes in combination with the natural fabrics and all the techniques involved. Participants will be actively involved in the whole process and will have a one of a kind teacher.

Workshops are subject to availability and the detailed conditions of Bodegas Monje. They’re carried out in the same winery and guided by Nathalie Leturcq herself. Kids and adults are welcome, as well as locals or travellers. Reservation is needed in advance through the website.

Book/Gift Vinotinte workshop

Vinotinte on the catwalk

Vinotinte’s Fashion Brand has grown and adapted to the needs of an audience who wants unique garments in their wardrobe and to the needs of the designers who use Vinotinte’s fabrics for their own creations.
The last collaboration of Vinotinte took place in Tenerife’s International Fair of Fashion (Feria Internacional de la Moda de Tenerife 2018), a leader in the Canarian Fashion Industry that gathers young designers and international projects.
The collaboration of Abissi Moda and Vinotinte creates a magical combination resulting in one of a kind garments every fashion lover will love:

If you are a designer and want to know our products, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Buy Vinotinte products