Lithospermum erythrorhizon, a plant species in the genus Lithospermum. Commonly called purple gromwell, red gromwell, red-root gromwell and redroot lithospermum. Also known as Shikon because the main dye compound is Shikonin, which is the chemical mirror image of the more widely used dye compound alkanin that is found in dyer’s alkanet. Shikonin and alkanin are both naphthoquinones. [...]

For centuries, the precise nature of the Biblical tekhelet, the sacred blue mentioned in the Torah, remained an enigma. In the Book of Numbers (15:38), we read: “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a cord of blue [tekhelet] on the fringe at each corner.” But what was tekhelet, and [...]

GOTS vs. FDA What’s the Difference and Why It Matters GOTS stands for the Global Organic Textile Standard, the leading worldwide certification for organic fibers. It regulates the entire textile supply chain from field to finished fabric and it focuses on environmental impact, worker safety, and chemical safety. Only substances on its Positive List may [...]

If you’re wondering how to fix natural dye color after it fades or shifts, start by diagnosing whether the problem is a mordant issue, a pH imbalance, water chemistry, or an aftercare failure. You followed the recipe exactly. The color looked stunning in the pot, rich and deep and exactly what you envisioned. Three washes [...]

From carefully calibrated wool samples to slow stitching with local makers, this residency held both structure and openness, color, process, and the kind of connection you can’t really plan.

Indonesia, with its rich biodiversity and long tradition of craftsmanship, is a haven for natural dye enthusiasts. This archipelago of more than 17,000 islands is home to a treasure trove of plant-based dyes, each deeply embedded in local culture and heritage. The lush landscapes provide abundant resources, while centuries-old techniques bring out the vivid hues [...]

The fruits of the Genipa americana are known as caruto, huito, jenipapo, guaitil, tapaculo, xagua, maluco, and vito, but most commonly Jagua, (the ‘J’ is pronounced as an ‘H’) which is what we will call it in this article. When I heard about it I KNEW I had to get my hands on this magic. [...]

The Indigotin Extraction Process To extract indigotin so we can store it (almost) indefinitely) we need to transform indican (a pale green organic compound present in the leaves of Indigofera, Isatis and Persicaria plants) into indoxyl and then into indigotin. To explain this complicated process I have made a small illustrative video. Do we always [...]

In several previous blogs you have been able to see and read more about the different results in natural dyes when using different mordants. In this blog I want to show you the results in reference to eco printing. The natural juices and tannins present in the leaves leave different prints on fabric and paper [...]

In this blog I will show the different colours achieved with tannins, and how to create a dark background using an iron Blanket in eco printing. The classic way of creating blacks and other dark backgrounds in eco printing is the use of tannins in combination with ferrous sulphate (often called; iron). It’s quick, easy [...]

If you know my work you know I will always try to go straight to the source of everything; my cochineal comes directly from a small farmer, the eri silk fabrics come from a family of weavers I know personally, and so on. Until now, my Indigo has always come from India. In the region [...]

I know I promised, and then things happened but after the post about logwood blue, here is the method for logwood black. Logwood black sequence Lately I have been doing a lot of cross research, taking recipes from different (old) books such as Bancroft, Bronson and Liles and evaluating the percentages. Often this is a [...]

Introduction; Logwood, haematoxylon campechianum, member of the pea family. Once it was super popular, then it became forbidden for use because it was not lightfast by Queen Elizabeth I of Engeland in 1581. Can we use it in good faith as a natural dye? I believe we can, but good mordanting is the key to [...]

How to use sappan wood as a fabric dye. Sappan Wood, also known as eastern Brazilwood, or East Indian red wood. Latin name: Caesalpinia Sappan Sappan wood is a multipurpose tree, giving us valuable natural dyes with medicinal plant properties. In India, it is cultivated in gardens and nurseries as a live fence plant in [...]

I only knew one type of Rhubarb; the sour, rich red compote my English aunt introduced us to. Eaten with clotted cream or in a tray bake with delicious crumbs on top. The tart, sour taste that makes your mouth wrinkle compensated with a lot of sugar. In Israel I was able to find it [...]

My first tries where just to boil the powder which gave me gorgeous greenish tans. A little post mordanting with 1%wof ferrous sulphate made the colours even more intense. Then I discovered something completely different which required no heating and almost no water in less than 30 minutes. No heating and no water, and less [...]