Skip to content

Cochineal - Whole - 1oz

SKU a-cochineal-whole-01
Original price $8.90 USD - Original price $8.90 USD
Original price
$8.90 USD
$8.90 USD - $8.90 USD
Current price $8.90 USD
Availability:
39 in stock, ready to be shipped

Cochineal is the female insect of Dactylopius coccus that colonize the prickly pear (nopal) cactus native to Mexico, Central and South America and the Canary Islands. Peru is currently the primary export country. This dye can be found in food, drugs and cosmetics. Cochineal has excellent light and washfastness and produces a powerful range of fuchsias, reds and purples. The dye is sensitive to pH and color changes can be achieved with different mordants and varying the pH of the dyebath. 

Cochineal is naturally a very concentrated dye. 3-8% WOF is all thats needed for a medium depth of shade. 

Mordanting: 

  • Protein Fibers: use alum mordant at 15% WOF.
  • Cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
  • Adding cream of tartar at 6% WOF to the alum mordanting bath or the dyebath will shift the color more towards Christmas red.
  • Adding iron at 2-4% WOF to either the mordanting bath or the dye bath will shift the color towards purple.

Dyeing: The color needs to be extracted from the dried insects before dyeing.

  1. Gently grind the insects in a blender or use a mortar and pestle to crush them to a fine powder.
  2. Place the powder into a saucepan and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water.
  3. Boil for 30 minutes and then strain the liquid and set aside.
  4. Place the cochineal pulp back in the saucepan and again cover with water and repeat step 2.
  5. Add this decanting to the first decanting and repeat step 2 a couple more more times.
  6. Properly dispose of the remaining pulp.
  7. The combined decantings can now be used to make a dyebath. 

Cochineal is sensitive to pH. A rich red can be shifted to orange with the addition of an acid (vinegar, citric acid or other acid modifier) and to a deep fuschia with the addition of an alkaline (soda ash, baking soda or alkaline modifier). This sensitivity means the soaps used to wash your fibers can have a color effect on the dye if they are not pH neutral. 

Customer Reviews

Based on 10 reviews
100%
(10)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
E
Elian
These cochineal are great for grinding dry

These cochineal are great for grinding dry

E
Emma Walsh Bell
Loved these! Thankyou so much!

Loved these! Thankyou so much!

C
Charles Hoeger Macneill
Natural dyes from plants and bugs were of...

Natural dyes from plants and bugs were of high quality.
They were delivered as described and have worked well for the artist using them for fabric paintings. Easily met her expectations.

M
Marcy Prosacco
Order was delivered quickly and exactly as...

Order was delivered quickly and exactly as described!

S
Sheri Batz
always fast shipping and good product.****...

always fast shipping and good product.*****

Compare products

{"one"=>"Select 2 or 3 items to compare", "other"=>"{{ count }} of 3 items selected"}

Select first item to compare

Select second item to compare

Select third item to compare

Compare