Eager to plunge into the wonderful world of natural dyeing? Explore our natural dyes below. Including some organic options!
4 products
OAK GALL
Use: Cellulose Fibre Mordant | Harvested From: Aleppo Oak in Turkey | Also Known As: Oak Apple | Recipe: link below
Oak Gall, also known as Oak Apple, is harvested from the Aleppo Oak in Turkey and is a traditional mordant used for cellulose fibres. Due to its high tannin content, it is an effective mordant for preparing cellulose-based fabrics for natural dyeing. Unlike other tannin-based mordants, Oak Gall only stains the cellulose fibre a light beige, making it a preferred choice for delicate dyeing projects.
Key Features:
Function:
Oak Gall is used to prepare cellulose fibres for natural dyeing, helping the dye adhere to the fabric without leaving stains. Its high tannin content ensures vibrant and durable colours on cellulose fabrics like cotton, linen, and hemp.
Storage & Usage:
Perfect for natural dyers and textile artists working with cellulose fibre. Please see this recipe for mordanting cellulose with Gallotannin
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.
MYROBALAN CHEBULIC ~ a tannin used for (pre) mordanting cellulose (Cotton, Linen) Fibres. Recipe below.
ORIGN: India
Myrobalan is a very common tannin used in India and around Asia. It creates a plum-like fruit from various trees of the genus Terminalia, formerly used in medicine as a mild laxative and now used in the dyeing industry.
Myrobalan creates butter yellow on fabric, like most tannins. Tannin is important for mordanting cellulose fibres like cotton and linen. Alum alone is not a suitable mordant for cellulose fibres and its use will produce inferior colours.
Myrobalan can be used in print, over dye with indigo for teal, use as a stand alone colour or as a mordant.
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Recipe Downloadable PDF for creating Greys and Charcoal
Basic recipe for mordanting cellulose fibres:
A 2 step process, please read through the entire instructions first.
Step 1:
Ingredients:
10% Myrobalan (10% of the weight of fabric (w.o.f.))
1.Fill a plastic or stainless steel vessel with hot water (40-50 d. Celsius/100-120F) to a 30:1 ratio (water : fabric)
2. add tannin and stir until dissolved or evenly distributed
3. add fabric, immerse fully for 1-2 hours. The bath will cool down, which is totally fine. Stir occasionally.
4. use rubber gloves when removing fabric, squeeze fabric. Rinse very lightly or better spin it out using a centrifugal spinner or washing machine. Tannin is bound to the fibre only by affinity and can be removed if rinsed aggressively.
5. save mordant for future use.
6. don't let it dry before moving to the 2nd mordanting step.
Step 2:
Ingredients:
Alum 12% (w.o.f.) Dissolved in enough boiling water, cool.
Soda Ash 1.5% (w.o.f.) Dissolve in enough boiling water, cool.
1. Combine the two solutions while stirring. It will bubble, so make sure your vessel is big enough.
2. Bubbles will subside quickly and you should be left with a clear liquid. Add additional hot water as described above. Follow steps 3 - 5 from above.
3. Rinse the textile well, to make sure any unattached mordant is rinsed off.
4. The textile may be dyed immediately or dried for future use.
Tips:
*Too hot and the tannin will oxidize, which is fine, if you want a potentially darker colour. For overdyeing, it is best to keep the colour as light as possible.
** You can also use cold water instead of hot, but it will require a 12h soak at least.
***Any tannin can be used with this recipe, but for lighter results use Oak Gall or Tara.
Enjoy!
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ELDERBERRY DYE (Sambucus Nigra)
Dye Colour: Light Purple and Green (with Soda Ash) | Country of Collection: Poland (Cut), Croatia (Whole)
Elderberries have long been valued for their rich colour and traditional uses in dyeing, medicine, and natural remedies. This versatile dye plant produces soft purples on wool and silk, while a shift in pH using Soda Ash transforms the colour to a muted green. Though not wash or lightfast, elderberry dye is perfect for experimental dyeing, educational projects, and hobbyists looking to explore natural colour shifts.
Colour Fastness: Poor (Best for short-term or artistic use)
pH Sensitivity: High (shifts from purple to green with Soda Ash)
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
50% WOF Dye (Elderberry): Soft lavender tones.
75% WOF Dye (Elderberry): Deeper purple hues.
100% WOF Dye (Elderberry): Rich, saturated purples.
pH Shift with Soda Ash: Produces leafy green tones.
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Ingredients: 50%-100% Elderberry Dye, 10%-20% Alum (for mordanting wool), 10% Tartaric Acid
Instructions:
Mordant fabric or yarn with Alum (if dyeing wool).
Add water to the dye pot and mix in tartaric acid. Bring to a boil.
Simmer the elderberries for 60 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with cloth, return the liquid to the pot, and add the tied dye bag for extra extraction.
When cool enough, add your mordanted fibre and heat to 80°C for 1 hour.
Let the fibres cool in the dye bath for 30 minutes to overnight, depending on the desired depth of colour.
To achieve a green tone, add Soda Ash to the dye bath.
Rinse when finished and dry naturally.
Elderberry dye is a fun and fascinating way to explore pH-sensitive natural dyeing. Ideal for creative projects, it allows dyers to experiment with shifting shades and discover the beauty of plant-based colour.
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