Natural Dye - Tannin

Tannic Acid is a plant-based mordant widely used in natural dyeing to improve colour adhesion on cellulose fibres such as cotton, linen and hemp. Traditionally derived from materials such as oak galls, oak bark and leaves, tannic acid provides the tannins needed to help natural dyes bond more effectively to plant fibres.

In natural dye processes it is often used alongside mordants such as alum or aluminium acetate. The tannin treatment prepares the fibre so that the mordant and dye can attach more strongly, resulting in deeper colour, improved fastness and more even results.

This high-quality powder (86%+ purity), extracted from gallnut and oak sources, dissolves easily in water and performs consistently across a wide range of dyeing techniques. Used correctly, it helps cellulose fibres hold natural dyes far more effectively than dyeing alone.

Outside of textile dyeing, tannic acid is also known for practical uses such as helping remove rust from metal surfaces.

Benefits

• Improves dye adhesion on cotton, linen and other cellulose fibres
• Works alongside alum or aluminium acetate mordants
• Helps achieve deeper, more colourfast natural dye results
• High-quality 86%+ purity gallnut/oak-derived powder
• Also useful for rust removal applications

Perfect For

• Natural dyeing with plant dyes on cellulose fibres
• Botanical dye workshops and eco-printing projects
• Educational and professional textile dyeing setups

Technical

• 100% natural oak bark and leaf extract (tannin source)
• Used as a primary tannin mordant for cellulose fibres
• Enhances colourfastness and saturation in natural dyeing
• Ideal for use before alum mordanting for best results
• Dissolve in warm water, soak fabric, rinse lightly, then proceed to mordant bath