Lac Dye - A Beautiful Violet to Red to Brown Colour

Lac dye is a rich and versatile natural dye, known for its use in the iconic Tibetan Monks’ tunic. Unlike the vivid brightness of cochineal red, Lac produces a more mature, wine-like red tone that evolves from violet to red, and then into a warm brown.

What is Lac?
Lac is a resinous secretion produced by several species of lac insects, with the most commonly cultivated species being Kerria lacca. The cultivation process starts when a farmer attaches a brood lac stick, containing eggs ready to hatch, to a tree. As the insects hatch, they colonise the branches of the host trees and secrete the resin that forms the pigment. The branches are then harvested and processed into stick lac, which is crushed and sieved to remove impurities. The resulting product, seed lac, is further refined to produce shellac.

Colour fastness:
Good to excellent, ensuring lasting and vibrant hues.

Basic Recipe for Dyeing with Lac:

• 3-5% Lac (based on the weight of your material)
• Wool (no mordant required)
• 10-15% Alum (if using more than 5% Lac, or if preferred)

Instructions:

1. Dissolve the Lac in warm water and add it to your dye pot.
2. Immerse the wool (pre-wetted) into the dye bath, bringing it to a gentle simmer.
3. Allow the dye bath to simmer for one hour, ensuring the pigment thoroughly saturates the wool.
4. After an hour, turn off the heat and leave the wool to steep in the dye bath overnight.
5. Rinse the wool thoroughly and allow it to air dry.

One dye bath can be used to dye multiple skeins of yarn, making this an economical and efficient option for larger projects.

Additional Tip:
For enhanced colour depth, I would recommend a 20-minute vinegar soak after rinsing. This additional step enriches the dyed fibres and ensures a more vibrant finish.

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Catechu Dye – Dye Colour: Brown and Beige | Botanical: Acacia catechu | Produced & Processed in India

Catechu, also known as Cutch, is a versatile natural dye that produces a beautiful range of brown and beige shades on cotton, silk, and wool fibres. This dye is composed of two components: catechu-tannic acid, which dissolves in cold water, and catechin, which requires hot water for extraction. Catechu is rich in tannins and will dye without the need for a mordant, though it can also benefit from one for brighter results. Some even suggest Catechu may help those with eczema – an added bonus for a naturally healing dye!

Colour Fastness: Good

Product Details:

• Dye Colour: Brown and Beige
• Perfect for: Cotton, silk, and wool fibres
• Mordant Optional: Alum for brighter colours, Iron for darker results

Basic Recipe:

1. Ingredients:
   • 200g wool (mordant optional)
   • 20g Catechu extract (made into paste with boiling water)
2. Instructions:
   • Add the Catechu paste to the dye pot with hot water and stir regularly.
   • Add the mordanted wool and simmer for 1 hour.
   • Leave the wool in the dye bath overnight for a deeper colour.
   • Let the wool oxidize before rinsing.

Note:

• Catechu is difficult to exhaust, meaning you can add more wool later for lighter tones.
• Mordanting the wool with Alum will give brighter results, but Catechu will still produce rich browns without it. For darker shades, use an Iron mordant.

Enjoy the versatility of Catechu dye and explore its potential for a wide range of beautiful brown and beige hues in your projects!

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Chlorophyllin Extract
Source: Alfalfa, Stinging Nettles, and Other Edible Plants

Chlorophyllin Extract is a concentrated natural dye obtained from plants like alfalfa and stinging nettles. Specially developed, this vibrant green extract is ideal for your natural dyeing applications.

Main Constituent:

• Copper Chlorophyllins

Suggested Quantities:

• For light tones: Use 5–10% of the fabric weight (WOF).
• For medium shades: Use 10–20% WOF.
• For deeper shades: Use 20–30% WOF.

Uses:

• Natural Dyeing & Textile Printing: This extract is suitable for any fibre that has been mordanted. Various shades of green can be achieved depending on the formula and mordant used.
• Fine Arts & Decoration: Ideal for aqueous formulations such as fine paints, watercolours, and natural inks.
• Other Applications: Can also be used to colour aqueous solutions, binders, cleaning products, and liquid soaps.

Chlorophyllin:
Chlorophyll is the primary pigment in plants, responsible for photosynthesis. It captures light energy and converts it into biochemical energy. As the seasons change, chlorophyll breaks down in autumn, revealing other pigments and creating the vibrant colours of the season. Chlorophyllin, the molecule used in dyeing, is chemically similar to hemoglobin, an essential molecule in animals.

Light Fastness:
Chlorophyllin extract has poor to moderate lightfastness. It is recommended for indoor applications or fabrics that won't be exposed to prolonged direct sunlight.

Traditional Chlorophyllin Dye Recipe

Ingredients:

• 20g Chlorophyllin Extract (or use the WOF formula above)
• 1 litre water (adjust according to fabric volume)
• Mordanted fabric (cotton, wool, silk)

Instructions:

1. Mordant the Fabric: Pre-mordant your fabric with alum and cream of tartar, or gallnuts and aluminium acetate.
2. Dissolve the Extract: Dissolve 20g of Chlorophyllin Extract in 1 litre of warm water. Stir well to ensure it dissolves completely.
3. Heat the Dye Bath: Bring the dye bath to a gentle simmer (around 80°C) and add the mordanted fabric.
4. Dye the Fabric: Allow the fabric to simmer for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Rinse and Dry: Once the desired colour is achieved, remove the fabric, rinse in cool water, and dry in the shade.

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MADDER EXTRACT ~ Natural Tannin & Dye

Madder Extract is a premium natural dye derived from the roots of the Rubia tinctorum plant. Known for its rich history and vibrant red tones, Madder Extract creates hues that range from soft pinks to deep, earthy reds. This versatile extract also works as a mordant, enhancing dye absorption and improving colour fastness on cellulose fibres like cotton, linen, and hemp.

We offer two kinds of Madder: Standard Madder and Madder III.

• Madder III will create rich red hues on all textiles.
• Standard Madder creates reds on wool and pinks/oranges on cellulose fibres.

Key Features:

• Natural Dye: Produces beautiful shades from soft pinks and coral to deep reds and terracotta.
• Ideal for all textiles: Perfect for dyeing wool, silk, cotton, linen, hemp, and other plant-based fabrics.
• Rich in Anthraquinones: Known for producing vibrant and long-lasting colours.

How to Use:

• For Light Tones: Use 5–10% of the weight of the fabric (WOF).
• For Medium Shades: Use 10–20% WOF.
• For Deep, Rich Hues: Use 20–30% WOF.
• For Darker Shades: Combine with iron (1–3% WOF) to achieve deeper, muted colours.

Dissolve the extract in hot water before adding it to your dye bath for best results. For optimal colour retention and depth, use Madder Extract in combination with other mordants.

Sustainably Sourced:

Madder plants are grown across Europe and Asia, where their roots have been prized for centuries in textile dyeing. Known for their vibrant, red hues, Madder Extract is an eco-friendly option for creating sustainable and striking colours in your textile projects.

Perfect for Eco-Conscious Crafters:

Whether you're a textile artist, natural dyer, or eco-friendly crafter, Madder Extract offers a versatile, sustainable dye solution for your projects. Discover the timeless beauty of Madder and add rich, natural colour to your creations!

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Logwood Extract
Source: Haematoxylum campechianum L.

Logwood extract is a non-oxidised plant extract derived from the wood of the logwood tree. Known for its strong colouring power, it is used as a natural dye.

Key Molecules:

• Haematoxylin (non-oxidised)
• Haematein (oxidised)
• Tannins

Uses:

• Dyeing and Textile Printing: Produces purple, grey, black, or navy shades on protein fibres and leather, depending on mordant and fibre type.
• Deep Blacks: For black shades, combine with gallotannins (sumach/oak gallnut) and mordant with iron. We would use Indigo as well.
• Other Uses: Natural inks, corrosion protection.

Plant Background:
Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum) is a small to medium-sized tree native to the Bay of Campeche in the southeastern part of Mexico. It thrives in tropical climates and is primarily found in Central America, the West Indies, and parts of South America. The tree has a distinctive red wood, which is where it gets its name, and the wood itself is highly valued for its potent dyeing properties.

Historically, logwood was highly prized as a dye material and became one of the first commercially exploited resources of the New World. Following its introduction to Europe in the early 16th century, logwood was used to produce vibrant purple, blue, and black dyes. During the 17th century, England imposed a law that prohibited its use for a time to protect the domestic dyeing industry, but by the 18th century, it became widely used in Europe and other parts of the world for dyeing textiles, especially for black clothing, which was particularly fashionable in the 19th century.

The logwood tree has small, yellowish flowers and dense, dark green leaves, with the heartwood containing the dyeing agents. It can grow up to 20 metres in height and is a resilient plant, well-suited to tropical environments. While it is native to Central America, the logwood tree has been introduced and is now found in various tropical regions around the world, including the Caribbean and parts of Asia.

Logwood Dye Recipe

Ingredients:

• Logwood Extract (5-25% WOF)
• 1 litre  of water (adjust for fabric volume)
• Mordanted fabric (cellulose/protein/leather)
• Optional: Gallotannins (sumac/oak gallnut) and ferrous salts for black shades

Instructions:

1. Mordant fabric with alum (light shades) or iron (dark shades).
2. Dissolve Logwood Extract in warm water.
3. Heat dye bath, then add fabric.
4. Simmer for 45-60 minutes or longer for deeper shades.
5. For black shades, use gallo tannins and iron.
6. Rinse fabric and dry in the shade.

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