Below is a list of the natural dyes plants
available from Blue Castle Fiber Arts. Each plant is used either singly
or in combination in our dyes. The plants are developed using a
fermentation method, a traditional method from India. This makes the
dyes as well as the herbal mordant more concentrated. Colors can also be
combined. Some favorites are Blood Red with Smoke Grey, Desert Black or
Navy Blue. Or Navy Blue with the various yellows (Sun, Tiger, Mango) to
get varying shades of green.
See
natural dyes shade charts.
Alkanet (Anchusa officinalis) - this is the plant in Smoke Grey. Depending on the strength of the dye bath the color ranges from light tan to a lovely purplish gray. Alkanet is also used in Desert Black along with Madder and Indigo.
Cutch (Catechu) - found in Garnet Brown.
Golden Shower Bark (Cassia Fistula) - combined with Indigo in Navy Blue
Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) - found in Navy Blue and Forest Green
Kamala (Mallotus Phillippinensis) - used in Tiger Yellow
Madder (Rubia tinctorum and Rubia cordifolia) - Rubia tinctorum is found in Blood Red along with Soapnut. Rubia cordifolia (Indian Madder) is in Turkey Red
Marigold (Tagetes Erecta) - is Sun Yellow.
Myrobalan (Terminalia chebula) - This is the main plant in the herbal mordant along with pomegranate. It can also be used as a yellow dye.
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) - Used in the herbal mordant as well as Mango Yellow, Hill Brown and Eco-Orange.
Soapnut pericarp - in combination with Madder to make the very intense Blood Red.
Tumeric (Curcuma longa and domestica) - used to make Mango Yellow and Forest Green
Composition of Natural Dyes
Blood Red - Madder and Soapnut pericarp
Desert Black - Alkanet, Madder and Indigo
Eco-Orange - combination of Indian Madder, Tumeric and Pomegranate
Forest Green - Tumeric (Curcuma domestica) and Indigo
Herbal Mordant - Myrobalan and Pomegranate
Hill Brown - combination of Alkanet, Tumeric, Pomegranate, Madder and Soapnut
Mango Yellow - Tumeric and Pomegranate
Navy Blue - Indigo and Golden Shower Bark
Smoke Grey - Alkanet
Sun Yellow - Marigold
Tiger Yellow - Kamala
Turkey Red - Indian Madder