rain barrels Archives - Botanical Colors

You Asked, Kathy Answered: Going Grassroots With Tannins

We get lots of emails from customers about challenges with dyeing and needing Botanical Colors’ President Kathy Hattori’s help. Why not share the learning so we can all benefit? From our inboxes to you, it’s simple: You Asked, Kathy Answered. Email questions@botanicalcolors with your plea for help! YOU ASKED: I want to create gray on cellulose by using an oak gall tannin followed by an iron modifier; my question is should I rinse the tannin before modifying? KATHY ANSWERED: According to Catharine Ellis, the tannin treatment is not super strongly bonded to the fiber until the alum is added, so … Read more

For World Water Day, 10 Ways to Natural Dye & Protect Land & Water

For World Water Day on March 22, 2023, we wanted to shine a light on two things very important to us: keeping carbon in the soil and protecting our water. As natural dyers, we have so many ways we can tackle these issues from collecting and reusing water creatively to simply stopping using hazardous pesticides as we grow our beautiful dye plants. We hope our pointing you towards World Water Day 2023 can offer easy that ways you can be part. This World Water Day is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. And because water affects … Read more