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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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:

• High tannin content for cellulose mordanting
• Minimal staining cellulose fibres
• Available whole, cut, or ground

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:

• Available in whole, cut, or ground form.
• Store in a cool, dry place.

Perfect for natural dyers and textile artists working with cellulose fibre. Please see this recipe for mordanting cellulose with Gallotannin

100 % Natural Indigo | Origin: India | No synthetic additives

Harvested and processed in southern India, this true indigo powder delivers the deep, cool blues prized by dyers for centuries. Because indigo is an insoluble pigment (not a dye that bonds with a mordant), no mordant is required—just a reduced (oxygen-free) vat.

Why choose our indigo?

• Authentic & plant-based – Derived solely from Indigofera tinctoria leaves; never synthetic.
• Economical – ≈ 50 g colours 3–4 kg of wool to a strong mid-blue.
• Low-energy process – Vats work at 30 – 40 °C; no hard boiling.
• Versatile methods – Suitable for any indigo vat, be it fructose, mineral or bran-ferment vats, yeast vats, sig vats or quick hydros vats.
• Excellent colour-fastness – Outstanding on deeper shades, good on lighter blues.

Typical yield
• Pale sky blue – 1 g per 100 g fibre
• Medium denim – 5 g per 100 g fibre
• Deep navy – 12 g + per 100 g fibre (multiple dips)

Quick-start options
• Organic Sugar Vat – Indigo + lime + fructose (no fermentation wait).
• Yeast Fermentation Vat – Gentle, long-lasting; see recipe below.
• Hydros Vat – Fast one-hour reduction (includes chemical oxygen remover).

Yeast Vat Recipe (500 g fibre)
9 l water · 110 g sugar · 50 g preservative-free dried yeast
30 g bicarbonate of soda · 40 g indigo (ground)
• Maintain 40 °C (not above 50 °C).
• Reduce for 48 h until liquid turns yellow-green with a copper sheen.
• Dip pre-wetted, unmordanted fibre; oxidise 60 min; repeat for depth.

Storage & safety
Store in a cool, dry place, sealed against moisture. Wear a mask when handling fine pigment and gloves when working with lime, hydros or iron additives. Dispose of spent vats responsibly.

Looking for a complete setup? Our Indigo Sugar Vat Kit and Hydros Vat Kit include all auxiliaries, plus step-by-step instructions.

Logwood Dye

Dye Colour: Blue, Purple & Black | Collected in the Wild in Haiti

Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum), also known as Bois de Campeche or Campeachy Wood, is a natural, pH-sensitive dye that originates from wood found in Central America. This versatile dye creates stunning blues, purples, and deep blacks on wool, cotton, and silk. While its colour fastness is considered poor by experienced dyers, Logwood is commonly used in combination with other dyes to achieve rich, deep blacks. Perfect for eco-conscious artists, Logwood is available as cut or ground bark for your dyeing projects.

Colour Fastness: Poor (best used with other dyes for black)

Product Details:

• Dye Colour: Blue, Purple, and Black
• Perfect for: Wool, cotton, and silk
• Mordant: Alum (10%) for best results

Basic Recipe (Using Ground Bark):

1. Ingredients:

   • 65g Logwood bark (soaked for 2 days)
   • 100g mordanted yarn/fibre (Alum 10%)

Instructions:

• Bring the soaked bark to a simmer for 2 hours.
• Strain through cloth and add the yarn/fibre and dye bag to the dye bath.
• Simmer for 1 hour and then rinse.

Alternatively, soak the Logwood chips overnight, then boil for 1 hour before use.

For Logwood extract, please visit our Natural Dye Extracts Page.

Explore the potential of Logwood Dye for a range of vibrant blues, purples, and blacks in your natural dyeing projects!

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.

WELD DYE (Reseda Luteola)
Dye Colour: Yellow and Green (when overdyeing) | Country of Collection: Typically Europe

Weld (Reseda Luteola) is a renowned plant-based colourant with a rich history, often used to create high-quality dyes in temperate regions. Paired with other traditional dye plants like Madder, Woad, and Dyer's Chamomile, it yields beautiful shades of yellow, which can then be overdyed with Woad to create the iconic Saxon and Lincoln greens. Legend has it that Lincoln Green was the signature hue of Robin Hood and his outlaws, achieved by overdyeing Weld yellow with Woad blue.

Colour Fastness: Excellent

Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:

• 100% WOF Dye (Weld): Produces a rich, vibrant yellow.
• Overdye with Woad: Creates stunning, lively greens.
• Use of Soda Ash: Intensifies yellow tones and helps with colour extraction.

Basic Recipe for Dyeing:

• Ingredients: 100% Weld, 7% Soda Ash, Wool (mordanted with Alum)
• Instructions:
  1. Soak Weld in the dye pot with Soda Ash overnight.
  2. Bring to a simmer for 1 hour.
  3. Strain through cloth and set aside.
  4. Add mordanted wool to the dye pot and simmer gently for 1 hour.
  5. For a paler yellow: Use the same dye bath for a second batch of mordanted yarn.
  6. Reuse the dye bath: It can be used up to 2 times for additional dyeing.

Embrace the rich tradition of Weld dye and bring centuries-old colours to your fibre projects, from vibrant yellows to lush greens when combined with Woad.

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