MORDANT MONDAY: Let’s Talk Aluminum

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I used acorn extract as a tannin treatment on cotton, rinsed it like crazy, and put it in my aluminum triformate bath. Now the aluminum triformate bath has changed color. Should I toss it? I was hoping it would last awhile more and I could put it to use. KATHY ANSWERED: If you are using the bucket method for aluminum triformate mordanting, I would keep the bath. It’s probably still just fine and there’s a lot of … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Does Alum Triformate Shift Color?

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I have just recently tried Alum triformate, first time using it. Have you had reports that it shifts the colors? We used Sequoia extract that was purchased from Maiwa, and it should have a dusty brownish purple, and it did on the regular alum mordanted bits I had in there- but it made a greenish grey on the triformate. Just wondering if you had info on this? I’m going to do a test with 2 skeins in … Read more

MORDANT MONDAY: Silk, Cashmere + Heat

We get mordant questions all the time at Botanical Colors so why not create Mordant Monday??? Got mordanting questions? Email [email protected] YOU ASKED: I have several cashmere sweaters that are the most boring colors ever and I’d love to try over-dyeing. I have Orvis paste to scour with but wanted to check that the 180 degree hold for 30 minutes would also work for cashmere – I see sheep and goats on the website answer about scouring so I am assuming yes, but there is this little question in the back of my head – email to the experts it … Read more

Video of Live Q&A For (New Cold Water Mordant) Aluminum Triformate

Check out our video recording and Q&A for our new cold water mordant Aluminum Triformate! Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori took us on a one hour review on and demo using aluminum triformate. She showed show results of tests and experiments using the cold water mordant and answered lots of questions. Watch the recording here. Shop Aluminum Triformate here About: Aluminum triformate is a room temperature mordant for all natural fibers including wool, silk, cotton, hemp and linen. It also works on a gpL (grams per Liter) calculation or a weight of fiber (WOF) percentage and we’ve used it successfully with … Read more