With very few exceptions, natural mordanting is the only 100% natural alternative for fixing color plants. Above all, it allows me to free myself from the use of alum, which I have reservations about, both because of questions about its harmlessness and because of the conditions under which it is extracted, which are a source of devastation for the environment and for the local populations exploited.
Plants such as symplocos, rich in natural alumina, or rhubarb, very rich in oxalic acid, fix the colors on the fibers to be dyed without the intervention of any chemical agent.
In botanical dyeing, we distinguish between animal fibers such as wool and silk, and botanical fibers such as cotton, linen and hemp. This is a very important distinction when it comes to knowing how to go about dyeing textiles; more specifically, how to go about mordanting the textile. As a reminder, mordant is what is … Read more
Let’s get back to natural dyeing. My experiments with beet leaves show that they can be used as a natural, bio-mordant for dyeing wool and silk. What more could you ask for than a plant-based mordant made from local plant waste? The principles of mordanting with beetroot leaves Which fibers to dye:Beet leaves only act … Read more
