Melanie Brummer started experimenting with dye more than 20 years ago and also learnt how to block print. For several years she manufactured and sold her hand dyed T-shirts and dresses at flea markets. Soon she began to sell custom finishes to the fashion industry and went on to supply designers like Marianne Fassler, Stoned Cherrie, Black Coffee, Marion & Lindie and many others. She has produced custom dyed fabrics that have gone all the way to the New York Fashion Week. Currently she teaches fashion designers and others about production requirements for dyeing and printing so that they can produce their own custom finishes. The focus of her company, Slipstream Fabric Finishes cc, is on training, products and books. She also teaches into the skills development and educational craft space through NGOs, skills centres and colleges. Working all around South Africa, Melanie uses her show and tell culture to share what she knows with others. She writes articles about printing and dyeing for craft magazines. In addition to a South African edition, her first book, Contemporary dyecraft, was published in both North America and Russia, attesting to its wide appeal.