Made from plants, flowers, barks, bugs or other items found in nature, our natural dyes are rich and vibrant. Our wool is spun, plied, and wound into skeins, then dyed with natural dyes, to beautifully complement the natural tones of our white, brown, gray, and black sheep’s wool and Alpaca fleece.
Natural dyeing is a slow and meditative process.
The Process
First a seed is planted…
Before a natural dye can be used, the plants, many of which come from our own garden or from our local ecosystem, need to grow. From planting, nurturing, harvesting, and gathering, our dyestuffs engage us with such beauty. Once they are harvested, some plants need to be dried, ground for storage, or in some cases, fermented to produce the natural dye.
After producing or harvesting the dye substance, an extract is made from the dyestuff by simmering or soaking anywhere from an hour to a week depending on the particular substance.
In addition, the yarn is scoured (washed) and then mordanted (simmered with Alum) to ensure optimal colour fastness.
The dyeing process…
Yarn is simmered in the dye vat for a period of at least an hour.
Indigo, however, has a magical process of its own. As the indigo pigment is not water soluble, we use a fruit reducing agent, (dates and pears), to dissolve the indigo. When fermentation is successful, a surprisingly clear yellow liquid with a rich earthy scent is created.
Skeins of yarn or wool and linen garments are sumberged into the vat. Upon removal from the indigo vat, it is the subsequent exposure to oxygen that magically turns the textiles to stunning hues of blue. Most indigo requires multiple dips to obtain the dark rich blue colours.
While most indigo dyestuff is imported, we are now growing and experimenting with locally grown indigo.
After weeks of drying to set the pigments, the yarn is washed several times, dried, and prepared for sale or use.
A selection of our dyestuff includes: Coreopsis, Orange Cosmos, Marigold, Madder Root, Sumac, Cochineal, Rudbeckia, Indigo Leaves, Lac, Stinging Nettle, Woad, Walnut, Goldenrod, Black Knight Scabiosa, Tansy, and Jewelweed…
How to Care For Natural Dyes
Natural dyes have unique qualities and requirements. Beautiful and gentle on the planet, some fade and change over time.
Care instructions:
- Wash separately, especially when new
- Turn garment inside out and wash with a gentle soap by machine on the handwash cycle or by hand in lukewarm water.
- Avoid contact with acids, deodorants and perfumes
- Wear with other similar colours – avoid contact with whites
- Store out of direct sunlight (do not leave in a sunny car window)
Custom Natural Dyeing
Due to the labour intensive nature of natural dyeing, we do not offer custom natural dyeing. Our full production is used for our retail store and in-house production and experimentation.