Essaouira Textiles Retreats
from June 2026
A taste of Moroccan Textile Culture in the countryside just outside Essaouira
Start your adventure in Essaouira. We’ll whisk you away from the hustle and bustle to the peaceful countryside a ten minute drive away from the city. You will be staying in a purpose built en-suite studio with use of the garden and swimming pool and taking part in hands-on workshops with Aviva in dyeing and weaving.
We’ve also included an excursion or two to ensure you really get a taste of authentic Moroccan country life with plenty of time to relax and explore your own creativity using local materials, enjoying home grown produce and healthy meals.
3 Day
Natural Dye Masterclass
one to one tuition
learn the secrets of working with ancient dyes to create a collection of beautiful colours
Stay at Aviva’s home in a purpose built self-contained studio.
Enjoy the pool and garden and the peace of the countryside.
Ten minute drive into Essaouira’s long beach walks, vibrant Medina.
Visit the local souk and shop for ingredients.
Enjoy home made breakfast, lunch and refreshments
£1495 for single, residential one to one workshop
**Non-residential and group workshop options are also available contact Aviva for more info.
A non-refundable deposit of £295 is required to reserve your place. The remaining balance is payable four weeks before your booking date.
Price includes
Transfers to and from Essaouira/Airport.
4 nights en-suite accommodation with breakfast included
3x one day workshops, materials and workshop notes
transport for excursion/s.
refreshments and lunch provided during the workshops.
Bottled water/tea/coffee available
Does not include
Flights to and from Essaouira/Morocco.
Travel Insurance (recommended)
Alcoholic beverages or soft drinks.
Beer/Wine available at local supermarket.
Refreshments and meals outside of workshop .
taxi to and from Essaouira outside of workshop times.
Optional Hamman and Massage.
Staff Gratuities.
EXTEND YOUR STAY?
after you have completed the 3 day masterclass you may wish to extend your stay to continue working on a specific project - this can be arranged, contact aviva for more info.
DAY 2
HANDS ON DYE WORKSHOP
Dyeing techniques
Morning
Extraction of colour from different types of materials (fresh, dry, roots, bark) sourced from the souk. Working the dye pots to create a collection of colour samples
Afternoon
Over dyeing in a pre-prepared indigo vat and use different natural ingredients to modify some of the samples to achieve secondary and tertiary shades
Explore at least two techniques such as bound resist and dip dye to create gradient effects on your samples.
At the end of the day, hop into a taxi and enjoy sunset down at the beach, followed by a stroll and some shopping in the Medina.
DAY 3
INDIGO RESIST WORKSHOP
PREPARING THE INDIGO VAT
Morning
Learn how to prepare an indigo vat using locally sourced organic material and good quality indigo pigment.
Using a variety of techniques, such as mud resist block print and stitch, tied and clamp resist to create a range of patterns on cloth
Afternoon
work the dye vat to create many shades of beautiful blues with multiple dips.
consolidation of three days work, review, rinse and label all samples to take home with you.
After all your hard work, why not treat yourself to a hamman and massage pampering session in the Medinal
DAY 1
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL DYES
PREPARATION OF MATERIALS TO DYE
Morning
Visit to local (country) souk to source materials
return to the studio for a dip in the pool and a home made lunch
Afternoon
Basics of natural dyes
Understanding which plants and natural materials create colour, and how factors like pH, water, and temperature influence the final result.
Fabric and fiber preparation
Learning about natural fibers (such as wool, cotton, linen, silk), as well as scouring and mordanting to properly prepare the materials and fix the dye.
Different mordants suitable for different fibre types
Experiment with locally sourced plants/minerals for mordanting prepare a selection of materials for dye workshop tomorrow.
It’s been a busy day, time to relax by the pool and soak up some sun! Grab a book or magazine from the library and get inspired!
GETTING TO MOROCCO
You will need to make your own travel arrangements to get to and from Morocco. There are several direct flights from the UK and Europe to Essaouira. alternatively you can fly into Marrakech and we can arrange a private transfer to Essaouira (additional cost)
PRE-TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Vaccinations: Vaccinations for hepatitis A and typhoid are recommended for all travellers going to Morocco
VISA: A visa is not required for UK citizens visiting Morocco for less than 90 days.
Passport Validity: Passport must have at least 6 months validity at time of entry as well as at least one empty page.
What to Pack: Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country. We ask that you respect local dress etiquette by covering chest, arms and legs while out and about. Dont forget to pack swimsuit, hat and suncream for your retreat!
Pre-travel info: Aviva will send out a full list of what to bring with contact details, etc.
