scour Archives - Botanical Colors

You Asked: What Did I Do Wrong With My Ceriops Tagal?

Thanks so much to Sue who wrote to us and documented with her own images, asking why she didn’t get the color she’d hoped from Ceriops tagal. She writes: “I dyed a linen apron and mask commercially dyed off-white. Total weight 225 grams. I scoured them according to Botanical Colors and Catharine Ellis using washing soda. Allowed to dry. Wetted out and mordanted fabric was soaked in a tannin bath made from 30% WOF dried winged sumac leaves, whirled in processor. The fabric was immediately put in a cold mordant of 12% WOF potassium aluminum sulfate and 1.5% WOF washing … Read more

Botanical Colors Natural Dye Glossary

There are so many terms and techniques in the natural dye space that we decided to create a natural dye glossary for you! Unless you work in a natural dye house full-time or have been doing dyeing since time immemorial, you’re not apt to know everything. We created this glossary of terms so that you can look like a plant dye master and a natural dyeing pro. Well, at least you’ll sound like it. Check out the terms below and shoot us an email if you think we left something out and need to add it! Natural Dye Glossary Alkaline: … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Water-saving tips when mordanting and scouring

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Too many topics to list, just read!

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

This week: Why your indigo smells weird and can Aquarelle dyes be used in bath and body products?

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

Each week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community asking simple and complex questions that we thought might be worth sharing. Here are a handful from this week answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors. A note from Kathy: I hope you all had a peaceful Thanksgiving holiday with cherished friends and loved ones. I’ve just returned from a 3 week total immersion in India, attending Indigo Sutra in Kolkata and touring textile and weaving centers in West Bengal and central India. My head is still spinning from the beautiful textiles and … Read more

FEEDBACK FRIDAY: This Week in Natural Dye Questions

Each week, we are emailed with questions from our natural dye community asking simple and complex questions that we thought might be worth sharing. Here are a handful from this week answered by natural dyer in chief, Kathy Hattori, Founder of Botanical Colors: I’m having trouble getting alum to dissolve. Even at 10% the solution was cloudy. This time I tried making a paste with boiling water but it still feels pretty crunchy. I’m amazed at how much pigment washes away. Using acid dyes I am used to seeing very little to no pigment in my wash water. I’m doing … Read more