Annatto Seed Powder (Bixa orellana)

Annatto Seed Powder (Bixa orellana) is a waxy, tropical seed that is used as a spice, medicine and a food and textile dye.  It’s also called achiote, roucou and lipstick tree. Annatto is a shrub native to tropical Central and Amazonia South America and is now grown throughout the world. Annatto is soluble in both water and oil, and it is widely used as a colorant for cosmetics and foods, such as Velveeta processed cheese, Cheetos and Goldfish crackers. Hmmm. As a spice, it is commonly used in Central and Latin American cooking, as well as in other regions that … Read more

The Botanical Colors Beginner’s Dye Kit

The Beginner’s Dye Kit Discovering the world of natural dyes for the first time is one of those seismic psychic shifts where suddenly everything is a potential dyestuff. That red that came from your farmer’s market amaranth flowers, the seed from your avocado toast that friends say “gives the most amazing dusty rose”, the flowers dropping onto the streets and sidewalks leaving stains of red, purple and yellow…the possibilities are endless. Your mind is zinging and you wonder if that color could change the color of your clothing, but how to begin experimenting? The Beginner’s Dye Kit is a curated … Read more