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