Walnut Hull Powder

Description

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 brown shade with an exhaust bath that can be used for multiple lighter shades. For more detailed instructions, please visit our page on how to use walnut powder.

From our Feedback Friday series:

Do you know if the Walnut Hull will shift to a dark brown if I add iron? I’m looking to block print a dark rich brown.

Walnut hull takes on a bluish cast with iron, so yes, it will darken to a beautiful shade. It has a lot of sediment, so strain before using with printing.

You have mentioned that some dyes are from agricultural or food waste. Could you provide more details?

One of the wonderful attributes of some of the dyes is that they are derived from non-edible parts of food that would be thrown away, or are a byproduct from a manufacturing process. Pomegranate is a waste product from pomegranate peels and creates a bronze shade that makes a beautiful olive shade with iron. Walnut hulls are the spongy waste product from walnut meat processing and make a soft brown. In addition, the hard walnut shells are abrasive and used for grit for polishing, so the entire nut is useful for numerous applications. Lac is a byproduct from shellac manufacture and lac “mud” is cleaned, dried and powdered for lac dye. Some types of cutch are derived from the byproduct of making an edible ingredient in Indian confections. So not only is it a breath freshener and a digestive aid, it’s a fantastic natural dye!