Dye - Osage Orange

Maclura pomifera - horse apple - natural yellow dyeDye yields oranges & yellows.

Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for proteinfibres. Mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and then alum at 15%for cellulose fibres. Overdyeing with Indigo will give bright emerald and leaf greens. Adding iron to the dyebth will give Olive Greens and Copper will brighten the yellows.

Before 1856, Natural dyes were used in time honoured techniques (as far back as 1500BC) but once synthetic dyes were became commercially viable textile dyers and artisans moved from traditional natural dyes to synthetic dyes to colour their cloth and fibre. 

The Natural Dye range will dye any natural fibre using a handful of non-toxic mordants and additives to help fix the dye and also give you more colour variations. Natural dyeing is very much about reconnecting with the past - apart from using the plant materials you have at hand in your own garden, there are a number of traditional Natural Dyes and extracts including Indigo, Madder, Cochineal and Fustic.

By combining different dyes, mordants and depths of shade, you will produce an amazing palette of deep to subtle pastel colours. We hope you enjoy your Natural Dyeing adventure!

Info Sheet