Page 12 – Botanical Colors

unused ph strips on a white ceramic dish

pH Indicator Strips

We use pH Indicator Strips to measure the pH of an indigo vat. In other words, they help us determine if we need more acidity or alkalinity to balance the vat. We also use pH strip paper with other dyes to measure the pH range of the dye bath. These are extremely useful tools to quickly check your indigo vat or to determine the pH levels of your water supply. Natural dyes colors may be shifted by adjusting the pH of the dye bath. Therefore, our pH strips come in handy when deciding on increasing or decreasing pH. (35 pH indicator … Read more

Citric Acid

A mild acid in powder form, citric acid originates from citrus fruits. It is used to add acidity to the dyebath and to precipitate the fine lac residue when using powdered lac dye. The acid is also used as an alternative acid with Aquarelle Liquid Natural dyes. From our Feedback Friday series: Is there a way to have the citric acid reaction stay more permanently on the fabric with washing? I use citric acid while dyeing some stuff and it reacts with the dye creating pink shades onto the fabric. When I wash the fabric on a gentle wash, it’s … Read more

Soda Ash

Soda ash (SA), also known as sodium carbonate, is a workhorse in the dye studio. It is an easy way to add alkalinity to a dyebath to modify its shade. For example, when added to a madder dye bath, soda ash will cause it to redden. It is also an easy way to raise the pH of an indigo vat or scour silk fibers. From our Feedback Friday series: Is soda ash the same as washing soda? In other words can I substitute washing soda for use in scouring linen? And do I use the same amount? I want to dye with … Read more

Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate is also referred to as chalk. This dense, white powdery mineral is a common addition to the madder dye bath to deepen shades and is one of the principle minerals that create hard water. It may also be used with weld extract to bring out the bright, rich yellow shades. It is also used as a post-bath for mordanting cellulose fibers with aluminum acetate.

Cellulose Scour

Cellulose Scour (CS) is designed for use with cellulose fibers. It works on cellulose and bast fibers in combination with soda ash and heat and thoroughly cleans cellulose fibers, removing excess wax and other materials that inhibit the takeup of dye. For detailed instructions, visit our page on how to scour. Please note: cellulose scour color may vary from clear to a pale straw. From our Feedback Friday series: I’ve seen some instructions for scouring cellulose fiber that say to just use soda ash. So I’m wondering what the Cellulose Scour adds to the process? CS is a surfactant and helps with … Read more

Aluminum Acetate

Aluminum Acetate Aluminum acetate is a purified mordant powder that creates bright colors on plant fibers. It is an alternative mordant to traditional tannins. Mordanting is an important step in natural dyeing as it helps improve light and washfastness. Its purpose is to provide a bond between the fiber and the dye molecule. Without a mordant bond, natural dye colors will fade, change color and wash out. Detailed instructions on working with aluminum acetate are available here. We recommend using either calcium carbonate (chalk) or wheat bran with aluminum acetate. Please note that this is a very powdery product. It wafts … Read more

Calcium Hydroxide

Calcium Hydroxide Calcium hydroxide is used to make an indigo or woad vat more alkaline. It is a fine white powder and is also known as pickling lime, hydrated lime or, in Mexican markets, cal. Calcium hydroxide is used in indigo vats, which we go into detail about here. It is a mild alkali and easier to use than lye or caustic soda. We provide a food grade quality calcium hydroxide. Please wear a mask when using it as it is very fine and can be an irritating dust. Calcium hydroxide can also be used when creating an indigo stock … Read more

Chestnut Extract

Chestnut Extract Chestnut extract(Castanea sativa) is a tree native to Southern Europe. People used it historically for tanning leather in Europe and North America. On fibers, chestnut extract yields a soft yellow which is excellent for combining with other colors. In addition, it is great for overdyeing with indigo for a rich teal. The chestnut color yields a warm gray shade with the addition of iron. It is one of those subtle, aromatic dyes that combines with other colors to add an intriguing “pop” to your color palette. 100g of chestnut extract will dye approximately 400g (12 oz) of fiber … Read more

Walnut Hull Powder

Walnut Hull Powder from black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a common source of brown dye throughout North America. The fleshy hulls are full of tannin, juglone and other pigments and are the primary source of the dye. Walnut hulls were used to dye hair, make inks and clothing and are also used in herbal medicine. The rich brown color develops with oxygen, so it is necessary to simmer the walnut powder for about two hours with an overnight cool down before adding the fiber. 50g of walnut hull powder will dye approximately 50-250g (2-9 ounces) of fiber to a dark … Read more

Cutch Extract

Cutch Extract Cutch (Acacia catechu) is the source of the rich reddish brown color seen in Indian textiles. It is both a dyestuff and tanning agent. It has been used in India since ancient times. To make cutch extract, cutch wood is soaked in hot water until the liquid becomes syrupy. It is then cooled, pressed and cut into cubes and dried. After that, it is ground into powder for dyeing. Cutch extract is sweet smelling in the dye bath and yields rich red browns with long cooking times. Cutch with an alum mordant will be golden yellow brown and … Read more