Old Fustic is a generous dyestuff—the dye that keeps on giving. A little goes a long way: just 50 grams of heartwood chips can easily colour 200 grams of fibre. It produces strong yellows that shift into greens when layered with indigo, and it was often used historically to “brighten” madder reds. Its shades are clear, bold, and long-lasting, making it one of the classic yellow dyes of the Old World.

Historical Note
Introduced to Europe from Brazil around 1600, Old Fustic quickly became a cornerstone of the dye industry. From the 17th through the mid-19th century, it was heavily used in large dye houses to produce yellows on its own, to boost the brilliance of madder reds, or to form rich greens when overdyed with indigo. Its reliability and strong yield made it one of the great commercial dyes of its time.

Active Coloring Compound Morin (a flavonoid).

CI Colour Name
Closest family: CI Natural Yellow 12.

Shading Tips

• No mordant → clear yellows, moderate fastness
• Alum mordant → brighter yellows with improved light fastness
• Over indigo → brilliant and stable greens
• With madder → intensifies reds to more fiery tones
• Paul Gout uses fustic as part of a mordant for crimson