Werner’s Tote Bag

This gorgeous shopper will brighten up any high street with its poetic descriptions of colours found in the natural world.

The ‘Buff Orange’ hue, for example, is like that found in the ‘Streak from the Eye of the King Fisher’ or the ‘Flax Flower Blue’ can be seen in the ‘Light Parts of the Margin of the Wings of Devils Butterfly’.

The colour chart, which features on one side of the bag, is based on those found in Patrick Syme’s beautifully illustrated book Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours. First published in 1814, it was used by artists and naturalists, including Charles Darwin, to represent wildlife in a consistent way before the era of photography.

The side panels of the bag are bright blue and the reverse side features the Museum logo. It’s all made from organic cotton, farmed in a way that supports soil health, water efficiency and biodiversity.