LOGWOOD ~ Available Cut or ground and as extract* 

(Bois de Campeche, Campeachy Wood) 

*Collected in the Wild (foraged) in Haiti

Logwood Dye is a natural, PH-sensitive product derived from wood found in Central America. This versatile dye is commonly used to produce vibrant blues and purples on wool, as well as deep blacks on both cotton and wool. It can also create a striking black and violet colour on silk. However, its colour fastness is considered to be poor by experienced dyers, leading to its classification as one of the Lesser Dyes. Logwood Dye is often used in combination with other dyes for black dyeing purposes.

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Basic Recipe: 

65g bark, soaked in water for 2 days.

100g mordanted yarn/fibre (Alum 10g)

 Bring pot with dye to simmer For 2h.

Strain through cloth, add yarn/fibre and dye bag to dye bath for 1h.

Rinse.

The logwood chips should be put in a bag and boiled for 20 minutes to 1/2 an hour, just before using or soak overnight, bring to the boil in the morning for 1h, strain and bind into bag.

* When using extract you only need to use 5-10% of the weight of your dry fabric. Logwood is one of the more excessive dyes - a little goes a long way - especially when using extract.

COCHINEAL DYE ~ Dye colours red, pinks to purples

Origin: Canary Islands, Spain. Organically farmed and processed by Canaturex 

I am so delighted to have finally found some organic Cochineal. Lorenzo is one of the very first offering fully traceable Cochineal grown to organic principals.

Cochineal, a powerful dye sourced from tiny insects that feed on cacti, produces stunning shades of purple, red and pink. With just one dye bath, this incredible insect can create a range of hues, from deep, rich reds to delicate, fairy-like pinks. It is derived from the Dactylopius species of insects, and its body contains 19-22% carminic acid.

*To make one kilogram of cochineal dye, it takes about 80,000 to 100,000 insects. 

Excellent colour fastness is guaranteed.

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Recipe for Wool Fibres: Downloadable PDF

Recipe For Plant Fibres: Downloadable PDF

Basic recipe:

6% Cochineal
Wool yarn mordanted with Alum 10%


Soak Cochineal in Water overnight
blend using a stick blender

Add dye to dye bath
Bring to a simmer
Remove any black tar like bubbles

Strain through a cloth and keep to the side
Add yarn to bath simmer for one hour.

Add dye bag to second and any following dye baths.

Organic *ground, **cut or whole Hibiscus flowers 

Cultivated in Egypt.

When using ground Hibiscus, use 50% of dye, according to the weight of the dry fabric/fibre for a light purple hue on wool and deep pinks or green with various mordants. For cut or whole Hibiscus, use 75-100% of dye based on the weight of the dry fabric/fibre. Colour fastness is poor and purple tones may shift to green, if exposed to high levels of pH.

PH sensitivity makes it a fun dye for children's activities and hobby dyers, who don't mind colour shifts or poor fastness.

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Basic Recipe: 

This dye will need a mordant, Alum, when dyeing wool. 
10-15% of Alum. 
Mordanted fabric or yarn, 50% - 100% hibiscus dye. 

ALKANET ~ Dye Colour: Purple, grey

Our ALKANET ROOT is harvested in India. Its colour ranges from purple to blue to grey, depending on the extraction method and mordants used. Please note that alcohol extraction is necessary for obtaining true purples.

Colour fastness: Poor

Though we sell alkanet in our shop, I never use it. It isn't lightfast and due to needing a heated alcoholic solution it can become quite pricey when living in Ireland! However, if you would like to give it a go, alkanet is a mordant dye after extraction. 

• To extract 65g of powdered root you need to heat 1litre of 35% alcohol to 40C/104F. 
• Once extracted add the 1litre to a dyebath of 2-8L. 
• Add your mordanted textiles and proceed as usual.