Story mfg.'s SS27 Collection Is Built on Natural Dyes, Wax Batik, and Hand-Drawn Marks That Make Every Piece Unique
From fermented indigos to hand-knitted organic cotton, the British label’s “Trees Are Poems” Collection doubles down on processes that resist industrial replication.
Summary
Story mfg. has presented SS27 "Trees Are Poems," a collection rooted in natural dyeing, handmade construction, and surface techniques including wax batik, block printing, and hand-drawn graphics
The season introduces "Trees Are Poems" lettering drawn directly onto garments, meaning no two pieces carry an identical mark, alongside patches, both embroidered and printed, scattered across sweats, jackets, and trousers
Two collaborations have been teased: a PF Flyers shoe built with Story mfg.'s own handwoven naturally dyed fabric, and an ASICS collab in a new silhouette with eco material choices
Story mfg. has unveiled “Trees Are Poems,” its Spring/Summer 2027 collection that pulls the British label’s core production methods into sharper focus, centering natural dyes, hand-knitted constructions, and surface-applied techniques that make industrial reproduction effectively impossible.
The dye palette anchors the collection in the same material philosophy Story mfg. has built since its founding by Saeed and Katy Al-Rubeyi in late 2013. Earthy browns derived from bark and roots sit alongside deep fermented indigos and warm earthy checks woven by hand. The processes involved, drawing color from earth minerals, leaves, bark, roots, heartwood, fruits, flowers, bacteria, and sunlight, are not cosmetic choices. They are the structural logic of the brand, and “Trees Are Poems” treats them as such rather than as a seasonal accent.
The most technically distinctive new introduction this season is wax batik, added alongside the returning block print technique. Batik involves applying wax to fabric before dyeing, with the wax resisting the dye and creating a characteristic cracked, hazy pattern at the boundaries where wax and dye meet. The effect cannot be cleanly replicated through digital or screen printing because it depends on the physical behavior of hot wax cooling against textile fiber, and on the variable pressure and angle of the application. Each piece produced through this method will carry a pattern that differs in its cracking and haze from every other piece in the run.
The hand-drawn graphics represent a further step in the same direction. “Trees Are Poems” lettering has been drawn directly onto garments rather than applied through print or embroidery, described in the press release as resembling a note left on a kitchen table. Because the lettering is applied by hand to individual pieces, variation is inherent to the production method rather than manufactured as a premium differentiator. Patches, both embroidered and printed, are scattered and stitched across sweats, jackets, and trousers, framed by the brand as badges earned on a long walk.
The knit component of the collection continues to be produced entirely by hand, using knitting needles and hand-dyed organic cotton yarn. The season’s offerings include marled, striped, and slouchy silhouettes, with the striped styles noted as a consistent bestseller for the brand. The time investment in hand-knitting means production quantities are inherently limited, a constraint the brand treats as a feature of the work rather than a logistical problem to be solved.
In the campaign are teasers to Story mfg.’s upcoming collaborations. First is the PF Flyers partnership, which uses Story mfg.’s own handwoven, naturally dyed fabric applied to PF Flyers’ silhouette, with an expected release around August. The ASICS project follows the Gel-Venture 6 and introduces a new shoe shape built with eco material choices and, according to the lookbook, allows for bead customization by the wearer.
Check out the collection above and stay tuned for the PF Flyers and ASICS release dates.
