Use your gallo tannin + iron to get some deep & dark shades of black! You can substitute the gallo tannin with other tannins in the future and dark extracts to make a variety of dark hues. Want to know how to make your very own signature black natural dye? Here’s a really good black recipe from Kathy to send you into tannin and iron experiments all day…or maybe, for the rest of your life.
Black with gallo tannin, iron and logwood is a historical recipe from Europe and creates a warm black. Prior to the introduction of logwood to Europe, black was achieved through multiple baths of tannin and iron, or by over-dyeing with madder, weld and woad.
Note that this recipe uses a lot of iron, so keep the ingredients away from babies and children. Iron is also damaging to wool and silk over time. Wear a mask and gloves when measuring powders and working in the dye baths.
Experiment with different fabrics and create your own signature black!
MATERIALS
CLICK HERE for our post on setting up your dye studio.
- Gallo Tannin
- Iron
- Logwood
- A Dye Pot : Stainless Steel , Iron or Aluminum Pot – Different metals will produce darker shades
- Heat Source : Stove Top, Hot Plate, Fire outside….
- Whisk
- Gloves
- Thermometer
- Bucket
- Your Fiber : Natural fibers like cotton , hemp , silk or wool . We have a bunch of fabric for you to work with HERE.
PROCEDURE
Scour : Clink this link to follow the recipe for a very even tone!
Mordant: Use these instructions based on the fiber you choose. Silk & Protein fibers ( fibers made from animals ) need aluminum potassium sulfate , cellulose fibers require aluminum acetate , or you can use our amazing new cold water mordant : Aluminum triformate.
MAKING YOUR TANNIN BATH
When using your gallo tannin, you will need about 20% the WOF ( Weight Of Fiber ). This means – if your cotton T-shirt = 200g, you will need 40g of gallo tannin. ( 200 x .2 = 40 ).
First, dissolve your tannin extract in boiling water stirring with a whisk to remove the clumps. Let this cool to 160F (71C) .
For cold dyeing ( also recommended for silk so you keep that shiny texture ), Place your scoured fibers into the bath and let them soak for a minimum of 4 hours to 24 hours while stirring occasionally.
For a faster heat based process – place your tannin bath in a dye pot that fits your project so the fibers can flow freely through the pot. We recommend a stainless steel vessel, but if you use an iron or aluminum pot – the metal of the pot can enhance the darker tones of your dye bath! Heat to 160F (71C) for one hour, then let the fibers cool down and proceed to the next step.
IRON BATH
Dissolve 100-125 grams of iron in cold water and add to a separate cold water bath. Wearing gloves, remove the fibers from the tannin bath and immerse in the iron bath. The fibers should turn gray. Hold the fibers in the iron bath for about 30 minutes, then remove and let excess iron liquid drip back into the iron bath.
This step is important because iron does what we call “saddening” the color and shifts the hue to a gray/black.
HOW TO DEEPEN THE SHADE
Dissolve 20% of the WOF in Rich Purple Logwood extract in hot water and add to your dye pot with enough warm water so the fibers move easily.
Add your fiber and heat to about 160F (71C) while rotating the fabric with a spoon, or tongs. The fabric should look “oily black” in the dye pot. Keep your fibers in the pot for 1 hour.
Remove goods, let them cool down and then rinse with cool water.
WASH CARE
It is always best to use pH neutral soaps for your natural dyes. This means ecological brands that don’t contain optical brighteners or any sort of Once you are finished with your project you will want to wash ( in your washing machine – separate from other garments ) on a hot cycle to bleed out the excess dye. After this initial washing, it is recommended to hand wash or wash on a delicate cycle to preserve the longevity of your pieces. Always wash wool by hand as to not felt the fibers.