Page 13 – Botanical Colors

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 easily and … Read more

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 solution (also … Read more

Chestnut Extract

Chestnut (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 to a … 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 (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 requires a … Read more

Myrobalan Extract

Myrobalan (Terminalia chebula) is a common dye throughout India. It grows primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is an upright tree with small oval leaves and lovely bright yellow flowers. We often employ it as a mordant prior to creating brown and black on cotton fabrics. Use a higher percentage of myrobalan to yield a brownish yellow. Use a lower percentage to yield a light buff color. Myrobalan extract overdyed with indigo makes a beautiful teal color. 50g of myrobalan extract will dye approximately 500g (1.1 pounds) of fiber to a dark yellow shade. For more details on … Read more

Weld extract

Weld (Reseda luteola) is the most lightfast of the yellow dyes. Ancient tapestry weavers in Central Asia, Turkey and Europe used the dye. Weld is the brightest and clearest yellow flower dye. In combination with iron, weld creates a rich chartreuse or, when overdyed with indigo, yields a clear lime green. We carry a very fine grade of weld extract that is also certified for organic textile processing in compliance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). 25g of weld extract will dye approximately 800g (1.75 pounds) of fiber to a dark yellow shade. Adding a pinch of soda ash … Read more

Iron (ferrous sulfate)

We use iron (ferrous sulfate) as a color changer, darkening or “saddening” natural dyes on protein or cellulose fibers. It also increases lightfastness and acts as a mineral mordant for dark shades. The famous black dye recipes from the 17th and 18th century use generous amounts of iron and tannin. Iron reacts with the tannin in many dyestuffs creating colors ranging from chartreuse green to black, depending on the dye it is combined with. Our iron powder is light green and food grade. Use it either during mordanting or in a post-dye bath. Too much iron can harshen the hand … Read more

Cream of Tartar

Cream of Tartar (COT) is a white powder often used in baking to help stabilize meringue. It is a byproduct from the sediment left behind in winemaking – another use for a waste product! In natural dyeing, we use cream of tartar to acidify the dye bath to act as a color changer. It’s also used in mordanting to soften wool fibers. As well, I’ve read that it helps aluminum sulfate bind more strongly to the fibers. Depending on the dye, it will shift cochineal, madder and lac to brighter, redder colors. With madder, it will shift the hue to … Read more

white powder on a round off-white ceramic tray

Aluminum Potassium Sulfate

Highly prized worldwide since antiquity, aluminum potassium sulfate is the premier mordanting material for protein fibers such as silk and wool. Check out our instructions on using aluminum potassium sulfate for detailed information on preparing your fibers for natural dyeing. What does this humble mineral have in common with the most powerful family in Italy during the Renaissance? During the 12th century, ambitious nobles and merchants became rich on alum exports from the Aegean islands. In the mid-15th century, the expanding Turkish empire gained control of the Aegean areas and imposed heavy tariffs on the mineral, causing a shortage and … Read more