Logwood Dye – Cut or Ground
Haematoxylum campechianum · Natural Purples, Blues & Blacks
From violet and blue-purple, logwood is a powerful, pH-sensitive natural dye. This wild-collected Haitian heartwood is available cut or ground. Please see our extracts for Logwood extract.
At a glance
- Origin: Wild-collected in Haiti
- Botanical name: Haematoxylum campechianum
- Plant part: Heartwood
- Form: Dried, cut or ground - not an extract. Please see our extracts for Logwood extract.
- Colours: Violet, purple, blue-purple, fades to purple grey - grey
- Fibres: Wool, silk, cotton and linen
- Mordant: Required; use a fibre-appropriate method
- Colourfastness: Poor - Medium with Alum & Iron. Generally better to washing, poor prolonged light exposure
- Sensitivity: Colour varies with pH, water chemistry and mordant
Cut or ground?
| Form | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Cut | Wood chips that are easier to strain. Soak overnight or longer before extraction. |
| Ground | Releases colour more readily but produces more sediment. Use a fine cloth or dye bag to contain particles. |
Both forms are raw dye materials rather than concentrated extracts. Logwood extract requires different quantities and preparation. Please see our extracts for Logwood extract.
How much to use
For a strong initial dye bath, use approximately:
65 g logwood per 100 g dry fibre
Equivalent to 65% WOF - weight of dry fibre.
Logwood is a strong dye, so smaller quantities may be sufficient for pale or medium shades. Sample first and adjust according to your fibre, mordant and desired colour.
Basic dyeing guide
- Prepare: Scour and mordant the fibre using a method suitable for the material, then wet thoroughly.
- Soak: Cover the logwood with water. Soak ground wood for up to two days or cut wood 2 days or longer.
- Extract: Heat gently for approximately 1–2 hours.
- Strain: Strain through a fine cloth, retaining the coloured liquid. Place the material in a dye bag if returning it to the bath.
- Dye: Add the prepared fibre and heat gently for approximately one hour, ideally around 80°C (176°F).
- Finish: Allow to cool, leave in cold dye bath overnight for stronger colour, then rinse thoroughly and wash gently.
| Tip | Details |
|---|---|
| For purples | Alum-mordanted fibres generally produce violet and purple shades. |
| For blue-purple | Use an iron after mordant. Make small adjustments and sample before treating a full piece. |
| For greys, orange and black | Logwood has poor lightfastness and most purples will fade to a greyish version of purple over time. An acidic bath can push the colour to orange. We use Logwood to finish of black dyed garments to give the final black colour a gorgeous purple sheen. |
| Measure iron carefully | Excessive iron can dull colour and damage fibres, particularly wool and silk. |
| Keep notes | Record your fibre, mordant, pH, water, dye quantity, temperature and time. |
Colourfastness
Logwood can produce good washfastness when prepared and mordanted correctly, but many purple shades are sensitive to prolonged light exposure and may fade or change.
For textiles that will receive regular sunlight, test a sample under the expected conditions before beginning a larger project.
Using logwood with other dyes can help create rich blacks, but a darker shade is not automatically more lightfast - the complete dyeing method matters.
Storage & safe handling
- Store tightly sealed, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight.
- Avoid creating or breathing dust, particularly when handling ground logwood.
- Avoid contact with eyes and prolonged skin contact.
- Wear suitable protective equipment when handling fine powder.
- Use dedicated dyeing utensils and containers—never food-preparation equipment.
- Follow the safety instructions for every mordant and modifier used.
- Keep away from food, children and pets.
- For textile dyeing and craft use only—not for consumption or cosmetic use.
Packaging
We pack as sustainably as we can while protecting your dye materials. Pouch types may vary according to pack size and the availability of our preferred lower-impact options.
Display jars are not included.
Learn with us
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