Natural Dye - Osage Orange

Osage Orange is a vibrant natural dye made from the wood of the Maclura pomifera tree. Valued for its strong pigment and excellent lightfastness, it produces bright golden-yellow shades that can range from fresh lemon tones to deeper amber depending on the mordant used and the concentration of the dye bath.

This dye is known for its high colour yield, meaning relatively small amounts can produce strong, clear colour. Its clean, luminous yellows make it one of the most reliable natural sources for bright yellow shades, particularly on protein fibres such as wool and silk.

Osage Orange is also widely used as a base colour for creating greens when overdyed with blue dyes such as indigo, making it a versatile addition to the natural dyer’s palette.

Benefits

• Produces bright lemon to warm golden-yellow shades
• Strong pigment with excellent colour yield
• Good lightfastness compared to many natural yellow dyes
• Versatile base colour for blending and overdyeing

Perfect For

• Dyeing wool and silk yarns, garments and accessories
• Creating fresh greens when layered with indigo or other blue dyes
• Eco-printing and natural dye workshops requiring bright yellow tones

Technical

• Produces vivid golden-yellow hues.
• Use 20–50% WOF for medium to strong shades.
• Works well on wool, silk, and cellulose fibres.
• Mordant with Alum for clarity or Iron for muted olives.
• Highly concentrated natural pigment.