Natural Dye products

Natural Dye products:

A range of natural dye products which give reliable and substantive, colourful results of protein fibres when mordanted with alum and cream of tartar or other mordant.

You can used these natural dyes to dye clean protein fibres in any form. Yarn, fibre, fabric, felt etc from sheep, alpaca, silk, angora, cashmere etc.  and blends with more than 75% protein fibres  can all be dyed naturally. (A small amount of nylon will reduce the depth of colour slightly, depending on the %.) These dyes  may need alum or other mordant to help “fix” the colour and give the best lightfastness.

Natural Dye product colours:

Rhubarb Root (Rheum Sinensis) gives mustard yellows, olives and even coral, depending on pH and modifiers.  (Alum mordant not needed.) Substantive

Madder (Rubia Tinctorum) gives a range of colours from brick red and terracotta to coral, peach and pink. (Alum mordant not needed, adding chalk to the dye gives better colours) Substantive

Logwood, (Haematoxlum Campechianum) gives purples, blues, violets and brown, depending on pH (This dye needs 22g alum mordant to dye 100g yarn or fibre, included) This dye stuff may be in powder or in chipped form.

Cochineal (Dactylopius Coccus) is a very tiny beetle that gives rich strong pinks. (Alum mordant not needed.) Substantive

Saxon Blue (Indigo Sulphonate) is a liquid form of indigo to dye protein fibres. It gives from dark teal blue through to sky blue, depending on the amount/100g fibre used. (Alum mordant not needed.) Substantive

Dyer’s Chamomile (Anthemis Tinctoria) gives reliable bright yellows and can also give olive green using an iron modifier. Can also be combined with Saxon blue to give lovely rich greens. (Alum mordant not needed.) Substantive

Dyer’s Greenweed (Genista Tinctoria) gives bright yellow and can be over-dyed with woad to give green, hence the name. It was a dye plant reputedly favoured by the Vikings! (Alum mordant not needed.) Substantive

Weld (Reseda Luteola) – another yellow natural dye which has been used for hundreds of years. It gives a soft, dull yellow which brightens with ammonia, and gives lime green when overdyed with indigo.

Mordant for natural dyes:

Alum and Cream of tartar pre-measured for you in a sachet. This is the average amount needed for most (adjective) dyes to fix 100g yarn or fibre. Alum is the easiest and safest mordant to use. It is used in a wide range of household and food products as well as a natural dye colour fixer.

Alum 10g sachet for most natural dye fixing 10%:WOF (except fugitive dyes which do not fix).  It is included with those dyes which need it, but is also available separately for other dye projects such as exhaust dyeing.

Alum 22g sachet for fixing Logwood 22%:WOF is included with Logwood pouch.

Advice:

Natural dyes are very safe to use and are eco-friendly as a general rule. Please use separate utensils to prepare and dye your fibres, and if possible use the dyes outdoors or in a well ventilated space. Avoid breathing any of the dye steam or dust as it can irritate your airways and wear a mask and gloves. Avoid splashing the dyes and mop up  spills immediately. If you get dye splashed in your eyes, rinse well with plenty of water and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Dyes and Alum mordants can be safely disposed of on the garden, in the compost or in household waste facilities. Do not eat or drink natural dyes.

If you are unsure of using natural dyes, why not have a go with one of our solar dye kits.

 

These natural dyes are packaged in eco-packaging where possible.