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Natural Dyes > Dyes

Dyes

Brazilwood=Red

Brazilwood on Silk Lustre-cord

Left to Right: AS # 100, 101, 102

Clear Christmas reds to garnet deep red with alum; pink with tin.

Darker tones with addition of Chrome, Copper and/or Iron mordants.

Not very fast to light, but BEAUTIFUL for clothes, wall hangings and needlework (don't use for window curtains, unless you plan to re-dye, which is always an option!). It is an especially beautiful color for evening clothes, because the tone of the red deepens in evening and indoor light.

This fine sawdust needs to be soaked overnight, to develop the color. Also Ammonia (household grade), chalk or a little washing soda needs to be added if your water is acid, as a too acid bath dyes an orange, not a red. This "indicator" effect of changing hue with acid or alkali can be used to nice effect artistically, variegating the red  into flames of pure fire.

SAWDUST

100% Eco harvest (large limbs only) and 100% recycle (sawdust from violin bow manufacture)

1 lb

$30

5 lbs

$125

 

call for quotes on larger amounts  503-286-4149

EXTRACT - 100% WATER SOLUBLE powder

Excellent for paint dyeing - mordant fabric first with Alum.  Make a concentrated solution, adjust the hue with ammonia, chalk or washing soda as needed to redden the color, and PAINT!
1lb extract equals the dye value of about 6 pounds of sawdust

"While I normally do not recommend extracts, this particular one gives as good colors as the raw dyestuff, and is much easier to use" - Cheryl Kolander, Master Natural Dyer who IS Aurora Silk

NOTE:  LIMITED SUPPLY. Sadly, this extract is no longer being made.  I have the last on the planet.  Don't wait to purchase: buy a lifetime supply, it stores forever. 

100% natural water extract of Palo de Brazil, a non-endangered special of Brazilwood from Mexico, (not the endangered Quabracho of Brazil). 

1 oz

$12

4 oz

$25

1 lb = wholesale

$65

1 kilo = wholesale

$135

5 lbs = Wholesale

$250

Additional Product Information

Extract is pure 100% water soluble red. It is made from the very abundant Palo de Brazil variety of tree, not the rare and near extinct Quebracho, Pernambuco or Brazilian Brazilwood.

Exact tone can be modified by adding a little ammonia or soda ash or chalk to the dye bath. For best red, the dyebath should look red, neither orange nor purple. Surface design efects can be had by brushing on either vinegar, for orange, or ammonia, for purple.

Alum is the preferred mordant, and an after-mordant of iron (ferrous sulphate or scrap iron dissolved in vinegar) can be used to deepen the color and make it more fast to washing.

Sawdust need to SOAK overnight before extracting. It is not very strong, expect to use about equal by weight of dye to fibre.