Madder Dye – Cut or Ground
Rich Natural Reds for Dyeing | Wild-Harvested in Eastern Europe

Madder (Rubia tinctorum) is a renowned natural dye that produces a stunning range of reds—from warm oranges and rich brick reds to deep blood reds and fiery crimson tones. The final shade depends on multiple factors, including soil conditions, root age, mineral content of the water, dyeing temperature, and fibre-to-dye ratio.

Dyeing Tips:

• Mordanting: Avoid cream of tartar when mordanting cold. 
• Soaking: Pre-soak fibres for at least 12h-24h before dyeing.
• Dyeing Methods: Madder can be used in both hot and cold dye baths. Adding chalk can help achieve better reds.

Colour Fastness: Excellent – Madder is known for its durability and deep, lasting hues.

Discover the beauty of natural dyeing with madder and create your own unique reds!

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Recipe for Wool: Downloadable PDF 

Recipe for Plant fibres: Downloadable PDF

Also available as dye kit!

Madder Dye Kit for Plant Fibers: Available Here »

Madder Dye Kit for wool & Silk: Available Here »

Basic Madder Dye Recipe

(Adjust quantities as needed to achieve your desired shade. Water quality will influence colour result. Oranges instead of reds are often more likely)

Ingredients:

• 100g dried madder roots (soaked overnight and blended if possible, or use ground)
• 100g mordanted fiber (Alum-treated)
  • Use 50g of fibre for darker reds or 300g for lighter shades
• 7–10 liters of water
• 6g calcium carbonate (chalk) (optional, for enhanced reds)

Instructions:

1. Soak the madder roots in the dye pot overnight.
2. Gently heat to 65°C (149°F) and maintain for one hour for red tones.
   • Higher temperatures will shift the colour towards brown.
3. Strain the dye bath through a cloth to remove root particles.
4. Add the mordanted fibre and the dye bag (optional, might result in uneven colour) back into the pot.
5. Maintain a temperature between 65–95°C (149–203°F) for one hour to develop the colour.

IMPORTANT: The higher the temperature, the darker and browner the final shade.

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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.

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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SAFFLOWER DYE (Carthamus tinctorius)
Dye Colour: Soft Yellow and Red | Country of Collection: Iran

Safflower, a thistle-like plant native to arid environments, offers a stunning soft yellow and red dye, making it a great choice for dyeing natural fibres like linen and cotton. While it produces a warm red, the process to extract this colour is intricate, requiring extended soaking, kneading, and rinsing. By adjusting the pH and repeating these steps, you can achieve a richer red tone on plant-based fibres. This lengthy process is well worth the effort for those seeking vibrant hues, especially for linen, cotton, and other plant fibres.

Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium

Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:

• 100% WOF Dye (Safflower): Soft yellow tones for protein fibres.
• After removal of the yellow dye: Richer red tones for plant-based fibres. 

Basic Recipe for Yellow:
Ingredients:

• 100g Safflower
• 100g mordanted yarn/fibre (Alum 15g)

Instructions:

1. Soak the Safflower dye in water overnight.
2. Bring the dye pot to a simmer for 1 hour.
3. Strain the dye through cloth and add mordanted yarn or fibre to the dye bath.
4. Simmer for 1 hour and rinse to reveal a soft yellow colour.

Notes:

• Yellow is ideal for protein fibres, red for cellulose only.
• For richer red tones: Repeat soaking, kneading, and rinsing in a high pH environment.
• Safflower produces a softer, warm yellow dye but can yield red after more intensive preparation.

Embrace the natural beauty of Safflower dye and create stunning, soft yellow and red tones for your textile or paper projects.

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