Natural dye extracts are suitable for use with both animal fibres and plant fibres and can be used on yarn, fabric, fleece, tops, felt, silk, mawata caps etc. Natural dye extracts are suitable for use with all natural fibres but not man-made or synthetic yarns and fabrics. Natural dye extracts give an excellent range of fully intermixeable shades and can be used for a wide variety of dyeing techniques, including rainbow dyeing, yarn painting, ikat and tie-dye. They are powdered extracts which makes use much easier and more cost effective than the whole plant part.
Please note that Indigo extract cannot be used for rainbow dyeing and a vat-dye method should be used.
Natural dye extracts can be successfully mordanted with alum or aluminium acetate (used in food production). Used on their own or combined with our native plants, they really are an invaluable addition to any natural dyer's dyestuff cupboard.
The colours obtained from a dye will vary with the strength of the dye solution, the mordant used and the type of yarn being dyed. Colour modifiers can also be used to change the shade achieved with the same dyestuff.
