Natural Dye

 Logwood is derived from the heartwood of the logwood tree (Haematoxylon campechianum). It yields deep rich red purples to orchid blues depending on concentration and type of mordants used. Logwwod has been use a dye source since the 16th century. The logwwod tree is native to mexico, central america and portions of South America and India. Deep blacks can be obtained with the use of ferrous sulfate. Logwood develops best in a hard water dye bath. 

• Dye Amount: 0.1-1% WOF Extract, 15-20% WOF chips
• Color: Purple and purple shades, grey and black
• Light fastness: moderate (dramatically improved with use of iron)
• Wash fastness: good

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Alum mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing:
• Chips: Cover the chips with boiling water and let soak overnight. Remove the chips, add addition water to cover fiber and simmer at around 170 degrees but not more than 180 degrees for an hour. For Rich colors, leave the fibers to soak overnight.
• Extract: Mix the extract in a small container of hot but not boiling water. Once thoroughly mixed, add to the dye bath and simmer for 45 minutes. For rich colors, allow the dye bath to cool overnight.
• Color Variations
• Purple-Navy: add 6% WOF of cream of tarter.
• GreyGreens: Add osage orange or fustic
• Purples: Add cochineal
• Browns: Add cutch
• Navy: dip in indigo bath
• Greys and black: add ferrous sulfate

Consists of the wood from the osage-orange tree(Maclura pomifera). Osage contains a yellow dye similar to fustic and black oak and yields clear, true yellows to soft yellow greens. Osage grows throughout the south and central United States. 

• Dye Amount: 2-5% WOF Extract, 20-30% WOF chips or saw dust
• Color: True to soft yellows
• Light fastness: Excellent
• Wash fastness: Excellent

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing:
• Chips or saw dust: Cover the chips or saw dust with boiling water and let soak overnight. Remove the chips/dust, add addition water to cover fiber and simmer at around 170 degrees but not more than 180 degrees for an hour. For Rich colors, leave the fibers to soak overnight.
• Extract: Mix the extract in a small container of hot but not boiling water. Once thoroughly mixed, add to the dye bath and simmer for 45 minutes. For rich colors, allow the dye bath to cool overnight.
• Color Variations
• Brightened Yellows: add copper to the dye bath or dye in a copper pot
• Olive Green: Add 2-4% ferrous sulfate
• Emerald Green or Leaf green: Over dye or under Dye in indigo

Cutch Extract is produced by soaking the wood of the Acacia Catechu tree in hot water until a syrupy liquid emerges. It is then dries and ground into a fine powder. It ca be found throughout India, Burma, Indonesia and Peru. This extract is easily soluble in water.

• Dye Amount: 20-50% WOF for a medium depth of shade
• Color: brown, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove
• Light fastness: Excellent
• Wash fastness: Excelent

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for cellulose fibers
• Tannin mordant is not required. 

• Dyeing
• Dissolve the powdered cutch in boiling water and add it to dye bath.
• Deeper colors can be achieved by first soaking the cutch extract in a weak mixture of caustic soda.
• Add 1 tsp lye or sodium hydroxide to 1 gallon of water. Soak for 1 hour.
• Add more water and neutralize with acetic acid or vinegar to pH7. Add this neutral solution to the dye bath.
• Add fibers to the dye bath and simmer at low temperature for 2 hours.
• Cutch does not easily exhaust and dyebaths can be used multiple times for lighter shades.

• Variations
• Alum mordant yields toffee browns.
• The addition of iron at 2-4% WOF yields chocolate browns
• Soda ash rinse will redden the cutch color.
• Addition of 2% WOF hydrogen peroxide during the final 15 minutes of dyeing will darken cutch considerably.
• Allowing the fiber to cool down and sit in the dye bath overnight will give the darkest shades.

Lac Extract  –  a red dye extract from the scale insect Laccifer lacca and can found throughout India, south east Asia, Nepal and south China. It is harvested from both wild and cultivated means. The female lac insects invade host trees and secretes a resin that contains the red dye. The resin is harvested and taken off the branches and is known as stick lac. The resin contains both shellac and dye. The dye is extracted from the resin and the remaining shellac is further refined into other products. The colors are similar to cochineal but softer and warmer in appearance.

• Dye Amount: 5-8% WOF
• Color: crimsons, burgundy reds and deep purples
• Light fastness: High
• Wash fastness: High

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Alum mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing: Dissolve extract in water and simmer with fiber for 45-60  minutes. For the richest colors, leave the dye pot to soak over night. Lac dye is very sensitive to change in pH and develops to its fullest color potential with the addition of cream of tartar at 6% WOF. For plum purples, add an alkali such as cream of tarter. For blackened purples, add ferrous sulfate.

Consists of the wood from the osage-orange tree(Maclura pomifera). Osage contains a yellow dye similar to fustic and black oak and yields clear, true yellows to soft yellow greens. Osage grows throughout the south and central United States. 

• Dye Amount: 2-5% WOF Extract, 20-30% WOF chips or saw dust
• Color: True to soft yellows
• Light fastness: Excellent
• Wash fastness: Excellent

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing:
• Chips or saw dust: Cover the chips or saw dust with boiling water and let soak overnight. Remove the chips/dust, add addition water to cover fiber and simmer at around 170 degrees but not more than 180 degrees for an hour. For Rich colors, leave the fibers to soak overnight.
• Extract: Mix the extract in a small container of hot but not boiling water. Once thoroughly mixed, add to the dye bath and simmer for 45 minutes. For rich colors, allow the dye bath to cool overnight.
• Color Variations
• Brightened Yellows: add copper to the dye bath or dye in a copper pot
• Olive Green: Add 2-4% ferrous sulfate
• Emerald Green or Leaf green: Over dye or under Dye in indigo

Myrobalan is made from the ground nuts of the Terminalia chebula tree which grows in south China, Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal and Thailand. Myrobalan can be used both as a dye and a mordant. As a dye, Myrobalan has a light buttery yellow. It is also high in tannin which makes it a good chose to mordant cellulose fibers.

• Dye
• Amount: 20-30% WOF
• Color: Soft buttery yellow
• A single dip in indigo will result in teal

• Mordant
• Myrobalan at 15-20% WOF followed by Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein and cellulose fibers
• Dyeing
• Add myrobalan powder to the dye or mordant bath, bring bath up to 55ºC (130ºF) and then add fiber. Continue heating bath to a high simmer (approximately 83ºC (180ºF)) hold for one hour. Adding iron (2-4% WOF) to the bath will produce soft lichen greens to deep grey-greens.

Madder – Rubia tinctorium, Rubia cordifolia, and Morinda citrifolia is an ancient dye that dates back to 3000BC. It is most frequently used to produce turkey reds, mulberry, orange-red, terracotta, and in combination with other dyes and dyeing procedures can yield crimson, purple, rust, browns, and near black. The primary dye component is alizarin, which is found in the roots of several plants and trees. Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout India, south east Asia, Turkey, Europe, south China, parts of Africa, Australia and Japan. Madder is a complex dyestuff containing over 20 individual chemical substances. Alizarin is the most important of these because it gives the famous warm Turkey red color. Also present in this wonderful plant is munjistin, purpurin, and a multitude of yellows and browns. Madder is dyed at 35-100% WOF for a medium depth of shade.

• Dye Amount: 35-100% WOF
• Color: Cranberry to Garnett
• Light fastness: High
• Wash fastness: High

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers.

• Dyeing: Madder develops to its deepest and richest reds in hard water – water containing calcium and magnesium salts is ideal. If the water is soft add calcium carbonate (a single Tum’s tablet to 4 litres of water works well). Add dye material to dye pot and cover with water. Bring up to about 60ºC (140ºF) and hold for an hour. Add fibres and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours. For clear reds do not let the temperature go above 72ºC (160ºF). At higher temperatures the browns of the madder plant come out and dull the colour. The madder dyebath can be reused two or three times for lighter shades

  Because of the different dye components present in the madder plant, the dyer can coax many colors out and onto the cloth by manipulating the mordanting process, the pH, the temperature, and the dye process. There are hundreds of madder recipes used historically that are intriguing to try including one from Turkey which brings out the purpurin from madder and gives a purple.

  Madder, in combination with cochineal yields a true red, with iron yields garnet, bright orange with alum and cream of tartar, brick red with alum mordant and a higher heat, the addition of acetic acid or vinegar plus iron will push the color to a rich brownish-purple.

SAPPAN WOOD or East Indian red wood is a natural dye yielding medicinal plant. It is botanically known as Caesalpinia Sappan and it is commonly known as Brazil/Sapan wood or Bakam/patang in hindi.

It grows well in all kinds of soil and lush growth is obtained in red soil. The pods contain 40 per cent tannin and can be used in the place of Sumac. The seeds on extraction with petroleum ether yield an orange coloured fixed oil.

The important part of this plant is the heartwood that contains water-soluble dyes such as brazilian, protosappanins, sappan chalcone and haematoxylin.

It will produce lovely warm reds when dyed at a 2-5% WOF and deep crimson reds when dyed at 5-10%. 

Himalayan rhubarb is a conventional natural dye used for textile. It makes bright yellow colour and obtains an odoriferous property.

This dye is manufactured from the dried rhizome and roots of a Rheum Emodi. Dye is extracted in an aqueous medium from dry powdered materials. The dye gives golden yellow shades.

Onion Peel  –  Onion skins have long been a great dye source. The problem is getting enough onion skins to make a good dye bath. Now that problem has been solved with this great natural powder. This dye powder creates an earthy range of colors depending on the mordant used and the concentration of dye powder. Protein fibers such as wool or silk will yield medium nutmeg browns, rosewood brown, russet brown, light bronze or terracotta. Cellulose fibers such as cotton, bamboo and silk yield champagne, pale oink and silver pink.

• Dye Amount: 50-100% WOF
• Color: Protein fibers such as wool or silk will yield medium nutmeg browns, rosewood brown, russet brown, light bronze or terracotta. Cellulose fibers such as cotton, bamboo and silk yield champagne, pale oink and silver pink.
• Light fastness: High
• Wash fastness: High

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Alum mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing: .Place the onion peel in a muslin bag or similar and simmer at 180 deg F for 45 to 60 minutes. The onion peel can be placed directly in the dye bath if you dont have a muslin or similar bag but more cleanup may be necessary. Add the material to be dyed and simmer (175 deg F) for 60 to 90 minutes or until desired color is reached. 

Madder – Rubia tinctorium, Rubia cordifolia, and Morinda citrifolia is an ancient dye that dates back to 3000BC. It is most frequently used to produce turkey reds, mulberry, orange-red, terracotta, and in combination with other dyes and dyeing procedures can yield crimson, purple, rust, browns, and near black. The primary dye component is alizarin, which is found in the roots of several plants and trees. Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout India, south east Asia, Turkey, Europe, south China, parts of Africa, Australia and Japan. Madder is a complex dyestuff containing over 20 individual chemical substances. Alizarin is the most important of these because it gives the famous warm Turkey red color. Also present in this wonderful plant is munjistin, purpurin, and a multitude of yellows and browns. Madder is dyed at 35-100% WOF for a medium depth of shade.

• Dye Amount: 35-100% WOF
• Color: Cranberry to Garnett
• Light fastness: High
• Wash fastness: High

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers.

• Dyeing: Madder develops to its deepest and richest reds in hard water – water containing calcium and magnesium salts is ideal. If the water is soft add calcium carbonate (a single Tum’s tablet to 4 litres of water works well). Add dye material to dye pot and cover with water. Bring up to about 60ºC (140ºF) and hold for an hour. Add fibres and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours. For clear reds do not let the temperature go above 72ºC (160ºF). At higher temperatures the browns of the madder plant come out and dull the colour. The madder dyebath can be reused two or three times for lighter shades

  Because of the different dye components present in the madder plant, the dyer can coax many colors out and onto the cloth by manipulating the mordanting process, the pH, the temperature, and the dye process. There are hundreds of madder recipes used historically that are intriguing to try including one from Turkey which brings out the purpurin from madder and gives a purple.

  Madder, in combination with cochineal yields a true red, with iron yields garnet, bright orange with alum and cream of tartar, brick red with alum mordant and a higher heat, the addition of acetic acid or vinegar plus iron will push the color to a rich brownish-purple.

 Logwood is derived from the heartwood of the logwood tree (Haematoxylon campechianum). It yields deep rich red purples to orchid blues depending on concentration and type of mordants used. Logwwod has been use a dye source since the 16th century. The logwwod tree is native to mexico, central america and portions of South America and India. Deep blacks can be obtained with the use of ferrous sulfate. Logwood develops best in a hard water dye bath. 

• Dye Amount: 0.1-1% WOF Extract, 15-20% WOF chips
• Color: Purple and purple shades, grey and black
• Light fastness: moderate (dramatically improved with use of iron)
• Wash fastness: good

• Mordant
• Alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibers
• Alum mordant at 8% WOF for cellulose fibers
• Tannin mordant at 8% WOF and then alum at 15% WOF, or alum acetate at 8% WOF

• Dyeing:
• Chips: Cover the chips with boiling water and let soak overnight. Remove the chips, add addition water to cover fiber and simmer at around 170 degrees but not more than 180 degrees for an hour. For Rich colors, leave the fibers to soak overnight.
• Extract: Mix the extract in a small container of hot but not boiling water. Once thoroughly mixed, add to the dye bath and simmer for 45 minutes. For rich colors, allow the dye bath to cool overnight.
• Color Variations
• Purple-Navy: add 6% WOF of cream of tarter.
• GreyGreens: Add osage orange or fustic
• Purples: Add cochineal
• Browns: Add cutch
• Navy: dip in indigo bath
• Greys and black: add ferrous sulfate

Tannin or tannic acid is used to assist the mordants of cellulose fibers and fabrics. Alum does not bond with cellulose fibres as well as it does with protein fibres. However, tannin bonds well with cellulose. and once treated with tannin, alum will combine with the tannin-fiber complex. Many dyestuffs contain tannin (black oak, pomegranate, cutch, fustic, etc) and do not need an additional tannin.  This is a blend of tannins mainly composed of quebracho, which will leave a soft red-brown color on the cloth.

Tannins can be clear or they can add colour to the fiber, and this is an important consideration when selecting a tannin. 

• Clear Tannins: “Gallic” - Gallnut, Tara, some Sumacs
• Yellow Tannins: “Ellegic” – Myrobalan, Pomegranate, 
• Red-Brown Tannins: “Catechic” – Cutch, Quebracho, Tea leaves, and some Sumacs.

Tannin or tannic acid is used to assist the mordants of cellulose fibers and fabrics. Alum does not bond with cellulose fibres as well as it does with protein fibres. However, tannin bonds well with cellulose. and once treated with tannin, alum will combine with the tannin-fiber complex. Many dyestuffs contain tannin (black oak, pomegranate, cutch, fustic, etc) and do not need an additional tannin.  This is a blend of tannins mainly composed of quebracho, which will leave a soft red-brown color on the cloth.

Tannins can be clear or they can add colour to the fiber, and this is an important consideration when selecting a tannin. 

• Clear Tannins: “Gallic” - Gallnut, Tara, some Sumacs
• Yellow Tannins: “Ellegic” – Myrobalan, Pomegranate, 
• Red-Brown Tannins: “Catechic” – Cutch, Quebracho, Tea leaves, and some Sumacs.