 Now in complete control of the Firm , Morris took an increased interest in the process of textile dyeing and entered into a co @-@ operative agreement with Thomas Wardle , a silk dyer who operated the <unk> Works in Leek , Staffordshire . As a result , Morris would spend time with Wardle at his home on various occasions between summer 1875 and spring 1878 . Deeming the colours to be of inferior quality , Morris rejected the chemical aniline dyes which were then predominant , instead emphasising the revival of organic dyes , such as indigo for blue , walnut shells and roots for brown , and cochineal , kermes , and madder for red . Living and working in this industrial environment , he gained a personal understanding of production and the lives of the proletariat , and was disgusted by the poor living conditions of workers and the pollution caused by industry ; these factors greatly influenced his political views . After learning the skills of dyeing , in the late 1870s Morris turned his attention to weaving , experimenting with silk weaving at Queen 's Square . 
