Natural Dye - Cochineal Beetles

Cochineal is one of the most vibrant and reliable natural red dyes available. Produced from the dried bodies of the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), traditionally harvested in Central and South America and Mexico, it has been prized for centuries for its brilliant colour and excellent colourfastness. In this raw, dried form, cochineal is ideal for dyeing wool, silk and other protein fibres. It produces a stunning range of shades, from soft rose pinks and rich scarlets to vivid fuchsias and deep purples, depending on dyeing conditions and mordants used.

Cochineal is particularly valued in natural dyeing for its excellent light and wash fastness, meaning colours remain bright and stable over time. By adjusting the pH of the dye bath or using different mordants, dyers can explore a wide spectrum of red and purple tones.

A little cochineal goes a long way, making it a favourite among handspinners, yarn dyers and fibre artists looking to create bold, long-lasting colour on natural fibres.

Ideal for handspun yarn, spinning fibre, felting wool and silk, cochineal is a classic natural dye that continues to inspire modern fibre artists.

Technical

• For a medium depth shade, use 3-8% WOF (Weight of Fibre).
• To shift from crimson or carmine towards a brighter, brilliant red, add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar per 500 g WOF into the dye bath.
• The primary colouring agent is carminic acid, derived from the insect.
• For protein fibres (wool, silk), mordant with alum at 15% WOF.
• For cellulose fibres (cotton, linen), pre-mordant with tannin at 8% WOF, then alum at 15% WOF.To produce purple tones, introduce an iron mordant.
  
• For bright mid-reds, overdye with madder; for violet and purple hues, overdye with indigo.