Natural Dyes

Black walnut extract is obtained from the bark of the tree and also from the green husks of the fruit. Domonique Cardon has called walnuts “great living laboratories of dye production.” Walnut is a substantive dye and can be used without a...

Buckthorn species are native to the Middle East, and Mediterranean. Also known as Persian berries since the warm yellow colour comes from the unripe berries. Use cream of tartar along with mordants. Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at 2-6% WOF...

Chamomile – Anthemis tinctoria is part of the daisy family and grows throughout North America, Europe and throughout the Himalaya region. It is often used in Turkish carpets for a warm, strong yellow and mixed with madder for tangerine colours...

This powder is an extract prepared from steeping the wood of the Acacia Catechu tree in hot water until a syrupy liquid immerges. This is dried and then ground into powder It is common to most parts of India, Burma, Indonesia and Peru. India cutch is by...

Eastern Brazilwood - also known as Sappan wood, is found in the heartwood of trees belonging to the species Caesalpinia Sappan. Two well known sources are Pernambuco from Brazilian coast and Sappanwood found throughout East Asia. This wood is high in...

Ferrous sulfate (iron) is an optional mordant and is used as a colour changer. Because it is a mordant the addition of iron increases the light and washfastnes of dyes. It is most often used with cellulose fibers like cotton, linen, rayon and hemp...

Modern synthetic dyes can colour almost any material in a vast range of hues. So powerful and far reaching is this technology that it comes as a surprise to learn that only 150 years ago absolutely everything was dyed naturally. In this, our third...

Natural Indigo - is an extract prepared from cultivated plants of Indigofera Tinctoria. Indigo is the only source of blue in the plant world. Its ability to produce a wide range of blues has made it the most successful dye plant every known. Indigo grows...

Indigo: A World of Blue was shot on location at the Pitchi Reddy indigo farm in southern India. The work also features indigo use in Sindh, Pakistan; the Vientiane District of Loas; the island of Sumba, Indonesia; Yogyakarta, Indonesia, village Dhamadka,...

Lac Extract - is a red dye extract from the scale insect Laccifer lacca which is found throughout India, South East Asia, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan and South China. It is found both in the wild and is cultivated. The female lac insects invade host trees...

Logwood is a bushy, thorny tree grown in Mexico, Central and South America and parts of Africa. The purple dye is concentrated in the heartwood of the tree. Dyeing: For a medium to dark colour use extract at only 0.5-1 % WOF on mordanted fibre. Dye at...

Sodium hydroxide - also known as caustic soda. Lye is a strong alkali used with vat dyes and indigo. Wear protective clothing when mixing lye and have good ventilation. Always add lye to cold water rather than the other way around. This chemical is...

Madder – Rubia tinctorium, Rubia cordifolia, and Morinda citrifolia is one of the oldest dyestuffs. It is frequently used to produce turkey reds, mulberry, orange-red, terra cotta, and in combination with other dyes and dyeing procedures can yield...

Madder – Rubia tinctorium, Rubia cordifolia, and Morinda citrifolia. Madder is one of the oldest dyestuffs known. It is most frequently used to produce turkey reds, mulberry, orange-red, terracotta, and in combination with other...

Marigold - This dyestuff consists of dried and ground flower heads of the Tagetes species. It yields rich vibrant yellows, green-yellows and oranges with 20 -30% dried marigold to wof. Marigold is cultivated all over the world for its decorative flowers,...

Alkanet – alkanna tinctoria or dyer’s alkanet is a very attractive purple colourant that is found in the roots of plants belonging to the borage family. These grow uncultivated throughout central Europe and extend as far as central Asia and...

Chestnut trees grow in many parts of the world and contain a great source of tannin. They dye a warm brown colour. This dye is also well known for it’s ability to dye silk black with the addition of logwood and an iron mordant. Dyeing: Use extract...

Cochineal – is the most important of the insect dyes and comes from the bodies of female insects of the species Dactylopius. These live on the prickly pear (nopal) cactus which is native to Mexico, Central and South America and the Canary Islands...

Dyer’s Broom or Greenweed is a small shrub that originates in the dry woodlands of Europe and has a long history of use for yellows. It contains the same colourant as weld, which is very lightfast. Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at 7-10%...

Golden Rod is a wild flower found in North America and Europe where it continues to be a well known source of yellow. Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at 7-10% WOF.    All measures in dyeing are based on the weight of material to...

Myrobalan - This dyestuff consists of ground nuts of the Terminalia chebula tree. This tree grows in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and South China. It may be classed as both a mordant and a dye, giving a light buttery yellow when...

Myrobalan - This dyestuff consists of ground nuts of the Terminalia chebula tree. This tree grows in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and South China. It may be classed as both a mordant and a dye, giving a light buttery yellow when...

Pomegranate - An extract from the rinds of pomegranates (Punica granatum), this dyestuff is high in tannin and improves the light and washfastnes of any dye with which it is mixed. In India and Southeast Asia it is used as both a dye and a mordant...

Quebracho dye comes from a tree native to South America, which is very high in tannins. The dye can vary in colours from coral, warm red brown, yellow or green depending on the species. Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at 5-10% WOF. To deepen the...

Weld or Dyer’s weed has been used as a dyeplant for many centuries in the Mediterranean, Europe and North Africa. It has been a long time favourite yellow due to its intense colour which has excellent lightfastness. Dyeing: Use extract on...

The mordant most frequently used by natural dyers for animal and cellulose fibers and fabrics. It improves light and washfastness of all natural dyes and keeps colours clear. It is inexpensive and safe to use (but should not be ingested). This form of...

Safflower – Carthamus tinctorious, is an annual thistle. This plant is most known for the oil that can be derived from it’s seeds, however, the petals are a most magical dyestuff. Yellows, surprisingly sharp pinks, orange-reds, and...

Tannin or tannic acid is used to assist the mordants of cellulose fibres and fabrics. Alum does not bond with cellulose fibres as well as it does with protein fibres. However, tannin bonds well with cellulose. and once treated with tannin, alum will...

Stories from an Indian Desert; this is the story of a unique group of craftswomen. Follow their journey as they return to creating the world-class embroidery that made their ancestors famous. The incredible stories of the women from the Kutch Mahila...

Great tools for wax application during glazing and natural dye. It is also good for apply glaze lines. Sold as package of 3 with different sized tips. ^Download Yu Yo's Guide to Natural Dyeing