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the maiwa guide to

603216
NATUR AL DYES
w h at t h e y a r e a n d h o w t o u s e t h e m
 NATURAL DYES
w h at t h e y a r e a n d h o w t o u s e t h e m

Artisans have added colour to cloth for thousands of years. It is only recently (the first artificial dye was
invented in 1857) that the textile industry has turned to synthetic dyes. Today, many craftspeople are
rediscovering the joy of achieving colour through the use of renewable, non-toxic, natural sources.

Natural dyes are inviting and satisfying some notes before beginning...
to use. Most are familiar substances
that will spark creative ideas and ■ Learning to use natural dyes is like cooking with colour.
widen your view of the world. Try And just like cooking, it takes practice and care. Don’t
experimenting. Colour can be coaxed rush the process. Attention to detail will give results you
from many different sources. Once the are proud to call your own.
cloth or fibre is prepared for dyeing it
will soak up the colour, yielding a range of results from deep ■ Always use clean non-reactive vessels: stainless steel, un-
jewel-like tones to dusky heathers and pastels. Variations chipped enamel, glass, or plastic. Iron or copper vessels
are easily achieved by manipulating dyestuff, quantity, or can also be used but the metal will react with the dye-
procedure. bath. Iron will dull or “sadden” colours. Copper will tend
to brighten them.
The instructions below will take you through the application
of the "classic" dyes: those dyes that artisans and guilds have ■ Dyeing evenly is much more difficult with piece goods
used for centuries. You will also learn everything you need than with yarns. It is also much easier to dye protein fi-
to experiment with garden dyes or wild harvesting. If you bres (wool, silk) than cellulose fibres (cotton, linen). For
can measure ingredients and boil water you can dye with best results the beginner is well advised to start with wool
natural dyes. or silk yarns.

Maiwa is constantly researching natural dye use and we are ■ Dry all fibres out of direct sunlight.
confident that a full palette can be achieved through the use
of safe, time honoured techniques and recipes. ■ Even expert dyers will never start a large project or one
involving expensive materials without first running test
samples.

■ Read all instructions before beginning.

■ Mixing dyes or mordants and overdyeing can result in

that one desired shade. Experimentation pays off and
adds an element of creativity to your dyeing. Keep re-
cords.

■ All dyes are sensitive to water quality. In almost all cases

soft water is preferable for washing, scouring, mordant-
ing and dyeing. Rainwater or distilled water can also be
used.

■ Natural dyes are not recommended for synthetic fabrics

or fibres.

For the dyer, nothing matches the excitement

of the first dip in the dyebath.

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 testing the waters
The acidity or alkalinity of the water used for natural dye- for example:
ing (both in the mordant bath and the dye bath) will affect To dye a medium-red with madder, we would use 50% WOF.
the colour. Soft water is best for practically all natural dyes Hence, if we had a pound of cotton (450 g) we would need a
with the exception of madder, weld, logwood and brazil- half-pound (225 g) of madder.
wood. These dyes develop better in hard water (containing
calcium and magnesium salts). Most natural dyers consider Weight of Fibre x % = Weight of Dyestuff
rainwater best (although in places it may be more contami- (imperial) 1lb x .5 = .5lb (8 oz)
nated than tap water), river water next best, and well or tap (metric) 450g x .5 = 225 g
water the last choice as it often contains the largest amount
of contaminants. Alternatively, cochineal only requires 6% WOF for a medium
shade. Hence, to dye the same amount of fibre we would need:
For dyes that prefer hard water, calcium carbonate can be (imperial) 1lb x .06 = .06lb (1 oz)
added in the form of finely ground chalk, or an antacid (metric) 450g x .06 = 27 g
(Tum’s, Rolaid) tablet. Also soda ash, household ammonia,
or wood ash water can be added to push the pH up. Yarns, fibres, and fabrics are always weighed dry before washing.

If local hard water needs to be Keeping notes of the weight of fibre and how much dyestuff was
made acidic, add vinegar, lem- used will help plan future projects - clipping a sample of dyed
on juice or a few crystals of yarn beside the notes makes for a wonderful record.
citric acid. Water that contains
iron is difficult to use for natu-
ral dyeing as it will not be pos- scouring
sible to achieve clear, pure co-
Both yarns and fabrics need to be scoured before dyeing
lours. In this case colours will
be “saddened” that is, muted Soured items dye more evenly, the dye penetrates better, and
and darker. dyed colours are more lightfast and washfast.
pH neutral (pH7) water should be used for rinsing and wash-
ing naturally dyed fibres and fabrics, otherwise there may be Note: Fabrics sold as “ready for dyeing” may not need scouring.
unwanted colour changes. A set of pH strips is a good way to
test the water.

about fibres and cloth

For the dyer, the fibre world is divided into two types: animal
(protein) fibres such as wool, hair, and silk; and plant (cellu-
lose) fibres such as cotton, linen, and hemp. As mentioned
earlier, yarns are the easiest to dye. Woven materials require
care to get even coverage. A suitably large dyepot is very im- indigo dyed cloth - unscoured on the left, scoured on the right.
portant. Tightness of weave is also a consideration. Garments
are the trickiest to dye. Watch out for synthetic stitching (it supplies:
will not take on colour) and areas of wear or perspiration as
Soda ash & Synthrapol (for cotton)
they will dye unevenly. When using wools, care is required to
Orvus paste soap (for silk & wool)
avoid felting.

scouring cotton and other cellulose fibres:

measures, records, wof
All measures in dyeing are based on the weight of material to 1) Fill a large pot so that yarns or fabric is covered and
be dyed. This is known as the Weight Of Fibre (WOF). WOF not crowded.
gives a convenient way to state how much dyestuff is needed 2) Add 1 tsp Synthrapol (5 ml) and 4 tsps. soda ash (20 g) for
for a given shade, regardless of whether the dyer wants to each pound (450 g) of cotton.
colour a few yarns or several metres of fabric. The weight of
3) Simmer for approximately 1 hour. Cotton is full of wax, pec-
dyestuff is expressed as a percentage of WOF.
tic substances, and oil, all of which must be removed. The
resulting wash water will be yellow brown. Bleached white
cotton yarns and fabrics may not need as long.

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 scouring silk and wool : homemade alum acetate
The dyer may make aluminum acetate from sodium acetate
1) Use a large vessel and fill with enough water so that the
and potassium aluminum sulfate. Depending on the avail-
yarn or fabric is well covered and not crowded. ability of these materials in your area, this can be cost ef-
2) Add 1 tsp (5 ml) orvus paste soap for each 450g of fibre. fective.
3) Add yarn, fleece or piece goods and heat gently (60º C, To make enough aluminum acetate to mordant 1 kilo of
140º F) for approximately 1 hour. Turn gently but do not fabric, combine in 3 litres of hot tap water:
agitate
150 g sodium acetate or calcium acetate
4) Allow fibre to cool down slowly and then rinse in warm 150 g potassium aluminum sulfate
water.
This can be added to your mordant bath (see next section).

mordants tannin
Tannic acid is used to assist the mordants of cellulose fi-
Colourfast dyeing usually requires a mordant. Mordants bres and fabrics. Alum does not bond with cellulose fibres
are metalic salts that facilitate the bonding of the dyestuff as well as it does with protein fibres. However, tannin bonds
to the fibre. Cellulose fibres also require a tannin in order well with cellulose. and once treated with tannin, alum will
to bond well. Both metalic salts and tannins are classified combine with the tannin-fibre complex. Many dyestuffs
as mordants. contain tannin (black oak, pomegranate, cutch, fustic, etc)
and do not need an additional tannin.
Some natural dye recipes still call for the use of heavy metal
mordants such as chrome and tin. Historically these were Tannins can be clear or they can add colour to the fibre, and
introduced during the industrial revolution and we do not this is an important consideration when selecting a tannin.
recommend them. Heavy metal mordants are toxic, pre- The two most popular tannins in the Maiwa studio are oak
senting real challenges for safe use and disposal. moreover gall and myrobalan.
most colours obtained through the use of heavy metals may
be obtained through overdyeing or variations in the dye • Clear Tannins: “Gallic” - Gallnut, Tara, some Sumacs
procedure. For those who wish to obtain a mordant from • Yellow Tannins: “Ellegic” – Myrobalan, Pomegranate,
plants, Symplocos is a tropical bio-accumulator of alum. Black Oak, Fustic
Mordant procedures for protein and cellulose fibres are not • Red-Brown Tannins: “Catechic” – Cutch, Quebracho, Tea
interchangeable. leaves, and some Sumacs.

alum
Potassium aluminum sulfate is the mordant most frequent-
ly used by dyers for protein (animal) and cellulose (plant)
fibres and fabrics. It improves light and washfastness of all
natural dyes and keeps colours clear. It is inexpensive and
safe to use (see our safety notes). This form of alum is re-
fined from bauxite, the raw state of aluminum ore, and is
free from the impurities (such as iron) some other alums
may contain.

alum acetate
Aluminum acetate is often used as the preferred alum mor-
dant for cellulose fibres and fabrics. It is refined from baux-
ite with acetic acid used as a purifying agent. For this rea-
son some dyes develop to a richer shade on cellulose when
mordated with alum acetate. Alum acetate is the recom-
mended mordant when considering printing with natural
dyes. It is more expensive and sometimes hard to find.
Use at 5-8% WOF.

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 gallnut (oak gall)
Gallnuts are a rich source of clear tannin. A gallnut is pro- Iron should be used at 2-4% WOF. More than that could
duced by oak trees as a defense against parasitic wasps who damage the fibre.
deposit their eggs in small punctures they make on young
branches. The tree excretes a tannin-rich substance that When printing with natural dyes we recommend changing
hardens and forms a gallnut. These are collected and ground ferrous sulfate to ferrous acetate to avoid bleeding and fer-
to be used in dyeing. Use at 6-8% WOF. rous transfer (the migration of iron).

homemade ferrous acetate

5 g ferrous sulfate
100 ml vinegar
3 g lime (calcium hydroxide)

Combine the above ingredients in a plastic container and

stir well. If thickening is required, weigh the amount of fer-
rous acetate you wish to thicken and add 1% of guar gum.

Ferrous acetate needs to be fixed to the cloth. We use chalk

(calcium carbonate) 50g in 5 litres of warm water. Once
oak galls your ferrous acetate is fully dry dip it into this solution. This
solution may be kept and reused again and again. Generally
myrobalan
you may refresh with 50 g of chalk after each 10 kg of fabric.
This dyestuff consists of ground nuts of the Terminalia che-
bula tree which grows in Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Burma, HOW TO:
Thailand, Indochina and south China. Myrobalan is both
a tannin and a dye and is an important tannin for cotton mordant wool , silk or other protein fibres
in India and Southeast Asia due to the light warm colour it
imparts to the cloth. The colour works well for overdyeing. standard mordant recipe
Myrobalan is also the perfect colour to lay down under a
single indigo dip to obtain a light teal. When used as a tan- 1) Weigh the fibre dry, then scour.
nin myrobalan requires 15-20% WOF. If used to create a soft 2) Measure alum at 15% WOF
butter yellow colour, 20-30% WOF is needed. 3) Measure cream of tartar at 6% WOF (optional, see cream
of tartar above).
cream of tartar
4) Dissolve both the alum and the cream of tartar in very
Cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate) is a salt of tartaric
hot water in a non-reactive container.
acid. It is commonly obtained as a sediment produced in
the wine-making process. Cream of tartar is an optional ad- 5) Add the dissolved chemicals to the dye kettle with enough
dition to the dyebath to soften wool, brighten shades, and warm water 45º C (110º F) to cover the fibre when it is
point the colour of some dyes (it will move the fuschia of co- added - usually a 30:1 ration of water to fibre. Stir well.
chineal to a pure red). Cream of tartar works best with ani- 6) Add the scoured, wet fibre. Over 30-45 minutes bring the
mal or protein fibres and is seldom used with plant or cellu- temperature up to 90º C (195ºF) Just under simmer for
lose fibres. Use at 5-6% WOF. wool and 85ºC (185ºF) for silk. Hold for one hour, gen-
tly turning the fibre regularly.
iron (ferrous sulfate)
7) Let cool in the bath for 20 minutes.
Iron is an optional mordant which will increase the fastness
of any colour. It is far from neutral, however, and makes 8) Remove the fibre from the mordant bath. Allow to hang
other dyes darker and richer (but it will also "sadden" bright evenly over a non-reactive rod (stainless steel, plastic)
colours). It is most often used with cellulose fibres like cot- until it stops dripping. Rotate the yarn or fabric fre-
ton, linen, rayon and hemp and should be used with care on quently so the alum is evenly distributed.
protein fibres as it can make them slightly hard or brittle. If 9) Store the yarn or cloth in a damp white cloth for 24-48
used in the mordant process colour shifts are more distinct hours. Keep it damp during this entire period.
than if added while dyeing.
10) Once completely dry mordanted yarns and fabrics may
be stored indefinately.

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 5) Chalk* (fix) the fibre. Dissolve 50 g of chalk (calcium
HOW TO: carbonate) in 5 litres of warm water. Dip fibre into this so-
mordant cotton or other cellulose fibres lution. Fully wet the fibre, wring out and proceed to dye-
ing. If using wheat bran, mix 100 g of wheat bran in 5 litres
Note: For more effective mordanting on fibres such as linen of warm water, fully wet the fibre, wring out and proceed to
we use a combination of two mordants of alum. For exam- dyeing. These solutions may be maintained over time and
ple we will mordant once with alum at 15% WOF and then occasionally refreshed (after every 10 kg of fibre).
again with a fresh mordant bath of alum at 10% WOF. Or
we will do a tannin/alum/alum mordant to achieve slight- *Aluminum acetate must be fixed to the fibre prior to dye-
ly richer colours. ing. In some cultures this is known as “dunging” as cow
1) Weigh the fibre dry, then scour. dung is used. Dung is high in phosphates, but you may also
use wheat bran or calcium carbonate (our preferred choice).
2) Choose your tannin and mordant (see individual dyes
for recommendations). Tannin must always be done iron (optional)
first. Each bath must be completed before starting the 1) Measure iron at 2% WOF. Dissolve in hot water. Add to
next one. kettle. Fill the kettle with enough water to fully cover the
fibre when added.
tannin
2) Add wet, mordanted fibre
1) Measure tannin to the recommended WOF for the tan-
nin you are using. Dissolve in hot water. Add to kettle. 3) Heat to 71 - 77ºC (160 - 170ºF) hold for 30 minutes.
Fill the kettle with enough water to fully cover the fibre 4) Rinse well. Remember always thoroughly scrub a pot
when added. that has been used to iron mordant or it will sadden the
2) Add scoured, wet fibre. next dye bath.
3) Heat to 87 - 93ºC (190 - 200ºF) hold for 45 minutes. Note: cellulose fibres can be fully dried and stored before
dyeing. Fibres do not need to be remordanted between
4) At this point the fibre may be rinsed and mordanted
dyes. Once a fibre has been mordanted it can be dyed and
with alum, or left to steep for 8-24 hours before rinsing
then overdyed without any further mordanting.
(steeping will give deeper colours).
dyeing
alum
Aluminum Potassium Sulfate Before beginning, keep in mind that dyes are not like paints:
1) Measure alum at 15% WOF. Dissolve in hot water. Add dyes combine with fibres to give character and personality,
to kettle. Fill the kettle with enough water to fully cover depth and texture. They do not produce a uniform, even,
the fibre when added. shade. It is these variations that give an added dimension
and excitement to natural dyes. Like fine wines that change
2) Add wet fibre (already treated with tannin). with the years to reflect the weather of the seasons, the con-
3) Heat to 87 - 93ºC (190 - 200ºF) hold for 45 minutes. ditions of the soil, and the tastes of the vintner; dyes will give
4) At this point the fibre may be a) rinsed and remordanted, slightly different shade each time they are used. They will al-
b)rinsed and dyed, or c) left to steep for 8-24 hours be- ter when you change the dyeing conditions, mordants, co-
fore rinsing (steeping will give deeper colours). lour pointers (such as cream of tartar and iron) and over
dye. Experiment and play with this potential (keeping notes
aluminum acetate will help). Recipes for dyes are listed with each dyestuff.
For this mordant you do not “cook” the fibre. You begin
with very hot tap water 38 - 50ºC (100 - 120 ºF) but do not about extracts
maintain heat. For this reason a plastic container may be The dye colourant always needs to be extracted from host
used for mordanting. material (usually a root, bark or leaf). Usually this extrac-
1) Measure aluminum acetate at 8% WOF, dissolve in hot tion happens in the dyebath, but sometimes (as with indi-
water, add to mordanting kettle. Or use your homemade go, cutch etc.) it is an entirely separate process.
aluminum acetate. Top up the kettle with enough hot tap
water 38 - 50ºC (100 - 120 ºF) to fully cover the fibre We sell natural dyes as both raw materials and extracts. Ex-
when added. tracts are very concentrated and so smaller amounts are
needed. We also carry a special line of extracts.
2) Add wet fibre (already mordanted with tannin).
3) Let fibre sit for 1 - 2 hours stirring from time to time. As a general philosophy we always recommend working
Keep the kettle covered so that it retains its heat. with dyes in their raw form. Working with raw materials
4) Remove fibre and hang to dry. increases your knowledge and gives you control over both
process and colour.

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 alkanet – Alkanna tinctoria or dyer’s cochineal – is the most important
alkanet is a very attractive purple colou- of the insect dyes. The females of Dac-
rant that is found in the roots of plants tylopius coccus colonize the prickly pear
belonging to the borage family. It grows (nopal) cactus native to Mexico, Central
uncultivated throughout central Europe and South America and the Canary Is-
and extends to central Asia and North lands. Peru is currently the primary ex-
Africa. The extracted pigment is often used in cosmetics, port country, shipping out over 4000 metric tons annually.
soaps and pigments. The violet colourant from alkanet is This dye is found mostly in food, drugs and cosmetics. Co-
not soluble in water. Before a dyebath is made the alkanet chineal has excellent light and washfastness and produces
root must be soaked in a solution of alcohol and hot water – a powerful range of fuchsias, reds and purples. The colour
colourless rubbing alcohol or methylated spirits can be used changes with the mordants used and pH of the dyebath.
(some dyers who do not like the smell of either of these sol-
vents use vodka!). The colours produced on mordanted fab- Although expensive, it is very concentrated. The bugs have a
ric and yarns are shades of grey, lavender and purple when high dye content (carminic acid) and go a long way. You will
used at 75-100% WOF. The colours achieved are beautiful but need only 3-8% WOF for a medium depth of shade.
have moderate light fastness.
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fi-
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein bres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and then
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. If cream of tartar at 6%
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. WOF is added to the alum mordanting bath or the dyebath,
the colour achieved will be more towards Christmas red. With
Dyeing: Use dried alkanet at approximately 75-100% WOF the addition of iron at 2-4% WOF to either the mordanting
for rich colours. First, soak the alkanet in alcohol (or meth- bath or the dye bath the colour will shift towards purple.
ylated spirits) for several days to extract the colour. When
the liquid has developed a strong colour, add enough water Dyeing: The colourant is first extracted from the dried in-
for the fibres to move freely in the solution. Add the mor- sects. Gently grind the insects in a blender or use a mortar
danted fibres and heat this dyebath up gently - but no high- and pestle to crush them to a fine powder. Put this powder
er than 60ºC (140ºF) - until all the colour has been taken up. into a saucepan and cover with three inches of water. Boil
Adding iron to the dyebath at 2% WOF creates a range of for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and set aside. Place the co-
greys and grey-violets. chineal pulp back in the saucepan and again cover with wa-
ter and boil for 30 minutes. Add this decanting to the first
decanting. Repeat 2 more times. Some dyers will then keep
dyers chamomile – Anthemis tinc-
the remaining pulp in a jar of water for several weeks and
toria is part of the daisy family. It grows
use in subsequent dyebaths.
throughout North America, Europe and
throughout the Himalaya region. It is of-
The combined decantings are used to make a dyebath.
ten used in Turkish carpets for warm,
Cochineal is sensitive to acids and bases. The cochineal
strong yellows and is mixed with mad-
rich red can be shifted to orange with the addition of an
der for tangerine colours. Chamomile is best on protein fi-
acid (vinegar) and to a deep fuschia with the addition of an
bres with an alum mordant. It requires 50-100% WOF for
alkaline (soda ash). This sensitivity means the soaps used
medium to strong yellows.
to pre or post wash your fibres must have a neutral pH.
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and cutch extract – This powder is an
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. extract prepared from steeping the wood
of the Acacia catechu tree in hot water
Dyeing: Use dried chamomile at approximately 50-100% until a syrupy liquid immerges. This is
WOF for medium to strong warm yellows. First soak the dried and then ground into powder. It is
chamomile in hot water for an hour. Add fibre and slow- common to most parts of India, Burma,
ly bring the temperature up to about 82ºC (180ºF). Hold at Indonesia and Peru. Indian cutch is by far the most beauti-
temperature for about an hour. Adding madder to the dye- ful. It is a good source of colourfast shades of brown - cinna-
bath gives some of the most beautiful tangerine colours. mon, nutmeg, and clove. Cutch extract contains tannin as
well as the dye compound catechu. It is easily soluble in wa-
ter. Cutch has excellent light and washfast properties. It re-
quires 20-50% WOF to dye a medium depth of shade.

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 Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for both next dye bath can be used to achieve beautiful shades of
protein and cellulose fibres (there is enough tannin in cutch pink and coral. Change the pH level to an acid to get an or-
so mordanting with tannin is not required). ange red or use an alkaline (like soda ash) to get blue-red
to brilliant purple.
Dyeing: completely dissolve the powdered cutch (some-
times cutch will come a little chunky) in boiling water and Adding fustic extract will yield rich warm reds and iron
add it to dyebath. will turn the fabric to a mulberry wine colour. A dip in in-
digo will produce purples.
Deeper colours can be achieved by first soaking the cutch
extract in a weak mixture of caustic soda. Add 1 tsp lye or eupatorium – This dyestuff comes
sodium hydroxide to 4 litres (1 gallon) of water. Soak for 1 from a genus of flowering plants in the
hour. Then add more water and neutralize with acetic acid aster family. Ageratina adenophora is
or vinegar to pH7. Add this neutral solution to the dyebath. known by many common names, in-
Fibres are then added and the dyebath is kept at a low sim- cluding eupatory, sticky snakeroot, and
mer for at least two hours. Cutch does not easily exhaust crofton weed. Eupatorium adenophorum
and dyebaths can be used multiple times for lighter shades. is a synonym. There are many species of the genus Eupato-
The alum mordant yields toffee browns. The addition of rium that contain colourants; interestingly, the 1882 bulle-
iron at 2-4% WOF yields chocolate browns, while a soda ash tin of the Royal Gardens, Kew, records two species known
rinse will redden the cutch colour. The addition of 2% WOF as Paraguay indigo. Eupatorium gives soft egg-yolk yellows
hydrogen peroxide during the final 15 minutes of dyeing that range into oranges. When used with an iron mordant it
will darken cutch considerably. Allowing the fibre to cool can be used for an earthy moss greens, when overdyed with
down and sit in the dyebath overnight will give the dark- indigo it provides a satisfying range of yellow to blue greens.
est shades.
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
eastern brazilwood fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
(sappanwood) – is from the heart- then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
wood of trees of the genus Caesalpinia.
Originally an old-world dye, the country Dyeing: For ground leaves use 50% WOF for a medium
of Brazil was named after this dyeplant. depth of shade. For the extract use 10% WOF. Eupatorium
Historically harvested (then overhar- yields warm yellows to ochres. The addition of an iron mor-
vested) from the species Cæsalpinia echinata found on Bra- dant gives lovely moss greens.
zilian coastlines. Sappanwood Cæsalpinia punctata is found
throughout east Asia and is sometimes known as Eastern fustic extract – An extract pre-
Brazilwood. Our brazilwood comes from Sappanwood. This pared from the heartwood of a tree from
wood is high in tannin and a colourant known as Brazilian. the Mulberry family, Chlorophora tinc-
It will produce lovely warm reds when dyed at a 20% WOF toria. Fustic produces a range of colours
and deep crimson reds when dyed at 50-100%. The dyebath from daffodil yellow to deep gold to or-
can be used multiple times for lighter colours and the wood ange. Fustic makes a good underdye
chips can be dried for future use. Startling variations can be with indigo to make forest greens and teals. While fustic
achieved (bright orange to blue red) when the pH level of is available in wood chips, its most common form is in a
the dye bath is manipulated. Fabrics dyed with brazilwood liquid concentrate. The extract is highly concentrated and
are fast to washing but somewhat fugitive to light. ready to be added directly to the dye bath. Fustic has a high
light and washfastness although exposure to strong sunlight
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein may cause them to become darker.
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
fibres and cellulose fibres (there is enough tannin in fustic
Dyeing: Brazilwood develops best in slightly hard water. so that mordanting with tannin is not required).
Adding finely ground chalk (or a Tum’s tablet – 1 to each 4
liters of water) brightens the brazilwood colour, especially if Dyeing: Fustic liquid extract can be added to the dye-
there is no lime in the local water. bath directly at between 4-6% WOF for a medium depth of
This dye takes time to be extracted - simmer 25-50% WOF shade. Keep the dyebath temperature at about 85ºC (185ºF)
of the wood chips for 1-3 hours and leave to cool overnight for wool and cotton and 77ºC (170ºF) for silk. At a high-
or longer (some dyers leave for days). Add fibre to bath and er temperatures the colour will turn to a dull brown yellow.
the first dyebath will produce a deep crimson red and the With the addition of iron at 2-4% WOF fustic yields beau-

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 tiful sage greens. By dyeing in a copper pot or adding clean ly deeper shades are obtained on protein fibres. When iron
copper pennies to the dyebath clear yellows will emerge. is added deep moss green is obtained. Over or under dyed
When combined with madder or cochineal, fustic will give with indigo produces forest greens.
true reds, when mixed with logwood purple, fustic will give
rich olive greens. Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
henna – the leaves are harvested from then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
the shrub Lawsonia inermis. Henna pro-
duces a brown colour tending toward a Dyeing: Kamala is not very soluble in water, so it is neces-
red-orange on protien fibres. The dye sary to extract the colourant before dyeing. To extract with
comes from leaves that are dried and alcohol, soak the powder with twice its volume of isopropyl
ground into a powder. Henna bonds or ethyl alcohol. Let stand for 2 hours stirring occasionally.
well with protein, hence is used to dye skin (mendhi), hair, Add the alcohol/kamala mixture to the dyebath.
fingernails, leather, silk and wool. On cellulose fibres henna
yields light yellow greens. To extract with soda ash, mix the Kamala powder with half of
its weight of soda ash in twice its volume of water. Let stand
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein stirring occasionally. Add the entire mixture to the dyebath.
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and After dyeing rinse first with a vinegar solution and then thor-
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. oughly with water. Kamala dyes a beautiful orange yellow on
silk and wool. It dyes lighter yellow shades on cotton.
Dyeing: when using ground henna at 20-50% WOF on
mordanted fibres, rich browns are achieved on protein fi- lac extract – a red dye extract from
bres and “latte” like colours to soft greens on cellulose fibres. the scale insect Laccifer lacca which is
There is no need to make an extract, just add the powder di- found throughout India, south east Asia,
rectly to the dyebath. Simmer the fibres in the dyebath un- Nepal, Burma, Bhutan and south Chi-
til the desired colour is obtained – approximately 1-2 hours. na. It is found both in the wild and culti-
Iron at 2-4% can slightly deepen and enrichen the brown vated. The female lac insects invade host
colour. Altering the pH of the henna dyebath does not al- trees (mainly fig and acacia) and the insect secretes a resin
ter the colour. that contains the red dye. When harvested, the resin is tak-
en off the branches and is known as stick lac. The resin is
indigo (natural) – natural indigo also used to make shellac. The dye must be extracted from
powder is an extract prepared from In- the resin before it can be used to colour cloth.
digofera tinctoria which is cultivated for Lac extract yields crimsons to burgundy reds to deep pur-
this purpose. Indigo is the legendary ples. The colourant is similar to cochineal but colours
source of colourfast blues and its abili- achieved are warmer, softer, and more muted. The lac dye
ty to produce a wide range of shades has has high light and washfastness on silk and wool. 5-8% dye
made it the most successful dye plant ever known. Indigo to WOF is all that is needed for a medium depth of shade.
grows all over the world but flourishes best in hot, sunny,
humid areas. Indigo can give clear blues that range from the Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fi-
tint of a pale sky to a deep navy that is almost black. Our in- bres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and then
digo comes from a farm in south India and is very strong alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8% – but note that lac extract
(approx 50% indigotin). It reduces beautifully in an indigo has reduced light and washfastness on cellulose fibres.
vat. See Maiwa Indigo Data Sheet for complete instructions.
Dyeing: Use at 10-15% WOF. Dissolve extract in water
and simmer with fibre for 45 minutes, leaving overnight for
kamala – Kamala – is a powdery sub- richest colours. This dye is very sensitive to change in pH
stance obtained from the fruit of Mal- and develops to its fullest colour potential with the addition
lotus philippinensis, a small evergreen of cream of tartar at 6% WOF. The addition of an alkali like
that is also known as the monkey-face soda ash will yield plum purples and the addition of iron
tree (because monkeys are said to rub will give blackened purples.
their faces in the fruit). Kamala is found
throughout tropical India. Kamala dye is very similar in be-
havior and colour to annatto. Kamala dyes golden yellows
to tangerines with moderate lightfastness on cotton. Light-

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 logwood – is the heartwood of the ful plant is munjistin, purpurin, and a multitude of yellows
logwood tree, Haematoxylon campechi- and browns. Madder is dyed at 35-100% WOF for a medi-
anum. It yields deep, rich, red purples um depth of shade.
to orchid blues and has been prized as
a dyestuff since the 16th century. The Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
logwood tree grows in Mexico, Central fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
America, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Brazil, the Guy- then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. For dark brick reds
annas, Madagascar, and India. Mixed with iron, logwood use alum acetate (instead of the normal mordanting alum
gives good blacks – a colour difficult to achieve with natural which is potassium aluminum sulfate).
dyes. Logwood has good washfastness but moderate light-
fastness – a bit of iron improves the lightfastness dramati- Dyeing: Madder develops to its deepest and richest reds
cally. Logwood chips will give a medium depth of shade at in hard water – water containing calcium and magnesium
10-15% WOF. salts is ideal. If the water is soft add calcium carbonate (a
single Tum’s tablet to 4 litres of water works well). Add dye
For many years we sold Logwood extract - it has become in- material to dye pot and cover with water. Bring up to about
creasingly rare. If using the extract, it is very easily dissolved 60ºC (140ºF) and hold for an hour. Add fibres and continue
and can be used directly in the dyebath at 0.5-1% WOF for cooking for another 1-2 hours. For clear reds do not let the
a medium shade. temperature go above 72ºC (160ºF). At higher temperatures
the browns of the madder plant come out and dull the co-
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein lour. The madder dyebath can be reused two or three times
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and for lighter shades
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
Because of the different dye components present in the
Dyeing: For chips - pour enough boiling water over the madder plant, the dyer can coax many colours out and onto
logwood chips to make a dyebath and soak overnight. Pour the cloth by manipulating the mordanting process, the pH,
off this liquid and use for the first (and strongest) dyebath. the temperature, and the dye process. There are hundreds of
Simmer fibres for about one hour, keeping temperature of madder recipes used historically that are intriguing to try
dyebath between 77-83ºC (170-180ºF). If a darker colour including one from Turkey which brings out the purpurin
is required leave fibres in dyebath overnight. The logwood from madder and gives a purple.
chips can be soaked again and the liquid used for lighter
shades. Madder, in combination with cochineal yields a true red,
Logwood develops best in slightly hard water. Adding finely with iron yields garnet, bright orange with alum and cream
ground chalk (or a Tum’s tablet) brightens the logwood co- of tartar, brick red with alum mordant and a higher heat,
lour, especially if there is no lime in the local water. Cream the addition of acetic acid or vinegar plus iron will push the
of tartar can be added (at approximately 6% WOF) to push colour to a rich brownish-purple.
logwood to a purple-navy, adding osage or fustic gives grey-
greens, cochineal gives purples, coffee bean browns are ob- marigold - This dyestuff consists of
tained by adding cutch, navy can be had with a dip in indi- dried and ground flower heads of the
go, greys to blacks are made with the addition of iron. Tagetes species. It yields rich vibrant yel-
lows, green-yellows and oranges with
20 -30% dried marigold to WOF. Mari-
madder – Rubia tinctorium, Rubia
gold is cultivated all over the world for
cordifolia, and Morinda citrifolia. Mad-
its decorative flowers, for religious festivals and for its co-
der is one of the oldest dyestuffs known.
lourant. Marigold has a moderate light and washfastness.
It is most frequently used to produce
turkey reds, mulberry, orange-red, ter-
racotta, and in combination with oth- Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
er dyes and dyeing procedures can yield crimson, purple, fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
rust, browns, and near black. The primary dye component then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
is alizarin, which is found in the roots of several plants and
trees. Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout In- Dyeing: add the dried flowers to the dye pot, cover with
dia, south east Asia, Turkey, Europe, south China, parts of water and simmer for half and hour to extract the colour.
Africa, Australia and Japan. Madder is a complex dyestuff Strain the dye liquid and add to dye pot. Add fibres and sim-
containing over 20 individual chemical substances. Aliza- mer until the desired shade is achieved. With the addition
rin is the most important of these because it gives the fa- of iron at 2% WOF warm olives can be made.
mous warm Turkey red colour. Also present in this wonder-

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 myrobalan - This dyestuff consists of Osage Extract: when using the extract simply add the liq-
ground nuts of the Terminalia chebula uid directly to the dyebath, add the fibre and simmer for
tree. This tree grows in Nepal, India, Sri about 45-60 minutes. Use at 2-5% WOF for a medium depth
Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Indochina and of shade Dyeing in a copper dyepot or adding a few clean
south China. It may be classed as both a copper pennies to the dyebath will brighten the yellow. Add-
mordant and a dye, giving a light buttery ing iron at 2-4% WOF will produce medium olive greens.
yellow when applied. It is an important tannin based mor- Overdyeing in indigo yields bright emerald and leaf greens.
dant for cotton in India and southeast Asia due to the light
warm colour it imparts to the cloth. Myrobalan is a good pomegranate - An extract or a pow-
foundation for overdyeing. It is also the perfect colour to lay der from the rinds of pomegranates
down under a single indigo dip for teal. When used as a tan- Punica granatum, this dyestuff is high
nin mordant myrobalan requires 15-20% WOF. If using to in tannin and improves the light and
create a soft butter yellow use 20-30% WOF. washfastness of any dye with which it is
mixed. In India and south east Asia it is
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein used as both a dye and a mordant. Pomegranate yields soft
fibres and cellulose fibres (there is enough tannin in the my- yellows to green-yellows when used at 5-8% WOF for the
robalan so that mordanting with tannin is not required). extract (15 - 20% WOF for the powder) for a medium depth
of shade. When combined with iron, pomegranate yields
Dyeing: Add myrobalan powder to the dye or mordant yummy warm cement greys and deep moss greens. It is of-
bath, bring bath up to 55ºC (130ºF) and then add fibre. Con- ten mixed with the more fugitive turmeric dye to brighten
tinue heating bath to a high simmer (approximately 83ºC the yellow and make it lightfast.
(180ºF)) hold for one hour. Adding iron (2-4% WOF) to the
bath will produce soft lichen greens to deep grey-greens. Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
fibres and cellulose fibres (there is enough tannin in the
pomegranate so mordanting with tannin is not required).
osage orange - consists of the
shredded wood of the tree Maclura po- Dyeing: for either the powder or the extract, add to hot
mifera. Osage contains a yellow dye sim- water, ensure it is thoroghly mixed and then add the fibre.
ilar to fustic and black oak and yields Simmer for about 1 hour. If a darker colour is required leave
clear, true yellows to soft yellow greens in dyebath overnight.
that have a high light and washfastness.
It yields good depth of shade at 20-30% WOF. Osage grows
throughout the south and central United States. The tree safflower – Carthamus tinctorious,
is an annual thistle. This plant is most
was originally planted to help with wind erosion, the wood
known for the oil that can be derived
was used to build fences and was hard enough for wagon
from it’s seeds, however, the petals are a
wheels. Osage has overgrown many areas and is being cut
most magical dyestuff. Yellows, surpris-
down for firewood. Our supplier rescues these logs and ingly sharp pinks, orange-reds, and cor-
chips them for us or soaks them in water and through a so- als can be extracted from safflower. Soaking petals in water
lar process extracts the liquid concentrate. at room temperature gives a yellow which can be collected
and used to dye any modanted natural fibre. Repeated soak-
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein ing will exhaust the yellow at which point pinks may be ob-
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and tained by “turning the bath” (drastically changing the pH to
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. alkaline and then back to slightly acidic).

Dyeing: when using the osage sawdust, soak it in water for Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
a few hours or overnight. When soaking is complete, bring fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
this bath up to simmer and cook for an hour. Strain off the then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
dye liquid and use for the dyepot. Add the fibre and simmer
for about 45-60 minutes. Dyeing in a copper dyepot or add- Dyeing yellow: Use 100-200% WOF – Put the safflower
ing a few clean copper pennies to the dyebath will brighten in cold water for a minimum of one hour. Use a pillow slip
the yellow. Adding 2-4% iron to the dyebath will produce or make a bag of closely woven cloth that can fit the inside
olive greens. Over or Under dyeing with indigo yields bright a large pot. Strain the safflower through this bag and gen-
emerald and leaf greens. tly squeeze. Set the liquid aside for dying. Repeat the pro-
cedure twice more, each time starting with fresh water and
saving the yellow water.

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 used without a mordant. It can be used alone to produce
Combine the water from the first three soakings in a dye warm deep taupes or to give extra depth in combination
kettle. Add mordanted fibre (protein or cellulose) and sim- with other dyes. Historically it has been used with madder
mer with the extracted yellow dye for 45 minutes. Note: (both rubia cordifolia and rubia tinctoria) to produce ma-
this is the only time heat is applied. hogonies. Walnut responds well to overdyeing with iron
producing rich grey/browns. Dye at 30-50% WOF.
Dyeing pink (cellulose only): Start as above with 100-200%
WOF – Repeat the soaking of safflower until the water has
weld - Reseda Luteola is also known
very little yellow. This may take an additional four or five
as Dyers Weld, Dyers Rocket, and Dy-
soakings. Each time start with fresh water. You may discard
ers Mignonette. It produces an excel-
the waste water after soaking.
lent light and washfast yellow and is a
strong clear yellow to combine with in-
After the final soaking, thoroughly squeeze the bag con-
digo for emerald and leaf greens. Tradi-
taining the safflower to eliminate as much water as possi-
tionally cultivated throughout Europe as a yellow dyeplant
ble. Drape this bag in a large pot and add 4 to 5 litres of wa-
it still flourishes on embankments or beside railways and
ter which you have turned to pH 11 through the addition of
roads. Weld gives strong intense yellows whcih are clear
soda ash. (Use a pH meter or pH papers). Be careful as a pH
and bright. The strength of these colours makes weld a good
above 11 will ruin the dye. After a minimum of one hour
choice for overdyeing with indigo to obtain teals and greens.
remove the bag and gently squeeze. Keep this now reddish
can be dyed at 30-50% WOF for a medium depth of shade.
water and turn it slightly acidic (pH 6) by adding an acid
such as white vinegar. Now add your cellulose fibres (these
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein
do not need to be mordanted) to the bright red liquid and
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and
leave overnight. Note: There is no heating in the procedure
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%.
to get pink.

Silk fibres may absorb a second yellow dye that has been ex- Dyeing: pour boiling water over the plant material and al-
tracted into the acidic solution, giving an orange or coral. low to stand overnight. Add more water and bring the pot
Wool will not dye. to a simmer but not more than 160 F as too high a temper-
ature will dull the yellow. Strain off the dye liquor into the
dyebath. The plant material can be reuses two or three times
sequoia – sequoia sempervirens, Se- for light shades. Add the fibre to the dyebath and simmer
quoia comes from Californian Coastal below 160 F for about one hour.
Redwoods. The dyestuff occurs in min- Weld develops best in slightly hard water. Adding finely
ute quantities in the seed cones, and ground chalk (or a Tum’s tablet – 1 to each 4 litres of wa-
only reaches useable quantities as a by- ter) brightens the weld colour, especially if there is no lime
product of seed collection and refores- in the local water.
tation programs. Sequoia yields rich purple browns when
dyed at 15% WOF. Shades achieved are beautiful but with
moderate lightfastness. woad - is the common name of Isatis
tinctoria. In Medieval Europe it was the
Mordanting: use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein only source of blue dye for textiles. The
fibres. For cellulose mordant with tannin at 8% WOF and leaves of the woad plant contain the same
then alum at 15%, or alum acetate at 8%. dye as Indian Indigo Indigofera tinctoria,
although in a weaker concentration. This
Dyeing: the dyestuff may be added directly to the dyebath. makes colouring with woad a much more subtle and delicate
Add dye material to dye pot and cover with water. Bring up art. The same recipes that are used for indigo may be used
to about 60ºC (140ºF) and hold for an hour. Add fibres and for woad. The shades obtained from woad are slightly differ-
continue cooking for another 1-2 hours. ent from indigo and call to mind the areas where it was most
popular - the south of France.
walnut – Walnut (Eastern Black Wal-
Our woad comes from France, from the famous woad proj-
nut) Juglans nigra. This dyestuff is ob-
ect of Bleu de Lectoure.
tained from the bark of the tree and also
from the green husks of the fruit. Domo-
nique Cardon has called walnuts “great
living laboratories of dye production.”
Walnut is a substantive dye and can be

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 NATURAL DYE EXTRACTS
c o n c e n t r at e d a n d e a s y t o u s e

walnut is obtained from the bark of the lac is a scale insect of Southeast Asia that
tree and also from the green husks of the contains a colourant similar to cochineal
fruit. Domonique Cardon has called wal- but colours achieved are warmer, softer,
nuts “great living laboratories of dye pro- and more muted. The lac dye has high light
duction.” Walnut is a substantive dye and and washfastness on silk and wool. Dyeing:
can be used without a mordant. It can be Dissolve extract at 10-15% WOF and sim-
used alone or to give extra depth in com- mer mordanted fibre for 45 minutes, leav-
bination with other dyes. Historically it has ing overnight for richest colours. This dye is
been used with madder (both rubia cordi- very sensitive to change in pH.
folia and rubia tinctoria). Walnut responds
well to overdyeing with iron producing rich logwood is a bushy, thorny tree grown
grey/browns. Dye at 30-50% WOF. in Mexico, Central and South America and
parts of Africa. The purple dye is concen-
buckthorn species are native to the Mid- trated in the heartwood of the tree. Dyeing:
dle East, and Mediterranean. Also known For a medium to dark colour use extract at
as Persian berries since the warm yel- only 0.5-1 % WOF on mordanted fibre. Dye
low colour comes from the unripe berries. at temperatures no higher than 180 F and
Use cream of tartar along with mordants. for no longer then 60 min or the colour will
Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at lack clarity and luminosity.
2-6% WOF.
madder rich Madder is one of the old-
chestnut trees grow in many parts of the est dyestuffs. It is most frequently used to
world and contain a great source of tannin. produce turkey reds, mulberry and in com-
They dye a warm brown colour. This dye bination with other dyes can yield crimson,
is also well known for it’s ability to dye silk purple, rust and browns. The primary dye
black with the addition of logwood and an component is called alizarin, which is found
iron mordant. Dyeing: Use extract on mor- in the roots of the plant. Dyeing: Use mad-
danted fibre at 5-10% WOF. der rich at 2-5 % WOF. Do not allow the dye
bath to go above 180ºF as this brings out the
cochineal is a parasitic insect that lives brown colour also found in madder.
on the nopal cactus native to Central and
South America. This dye has excellent light quebracho dye comes from a tree native
and washfastness and produces a powerful to South America, which is very high in tan-
range of fuchsias, reds and purples mainly nins. The dye can vary in colours from coral,
depending on mordents used and the dyes warm red brown, yellow or green depend-
sensitivity to pH. Dyeing: Use extract on ing on the species. Dyeing: Use extract on
mordanted fibre at 0.5 - 2 % WOF. mordanted fibre at 5-10% WOF. To deepen
the quebracho colours add an alkali or iron
eupatorium – This dyestuff comes from mordant.
a genus of flowering plants in the aster fam-
ily. Ageratina adenophora is known by weld or Dyer’s Weld has been used as a
many common names, including eupatory, dyeplant for many centuries in the Medi-
sticky snakeroot, and crofton weed. Eupato- terranean, Europe and North Africa. It has
rium adenophorum is a synonym. Dyeing: been a long time favourite yellow due to its
For the extract use 10-15% WOF. intense colour which has excellent light-
fastness. Dyeing: Use extract on previously
golden rod is a wild flower found in mordanted fibre at 4-6% WOF.
North America and Europe where it con-
tinues to be a well known source of yellow.
Dyeing: Use extract on mordanted fibre at
7-10% WOF.

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 some natural dye references maiwa documentaries

Natural Dyes: Sources, Tradition, Technology and Science In Search of Lost Colour, travels the
By Dominique Cardon world to document the growing, har-
vesting, extraction and use of natural
Koekboya: Natural Dyes and Textiles: dyes. From the Bogolanfini mudprint-
A Colour Journey from Turkey to India and Beyond ing of Mali to the madder-root of Tur-
By Harald Böhmer withCharllotte Kwon (of Maiwa) key, from the cochineal insect to the rare
shellfish purple, this documentary pro-
Indigo vides a look at some of the most exotic
colours in existence.
by Jenny Balfour-Paul
In many areas the use of natural dyes is perilously close
Wild Colour to extinction - and yet traditional techniques and cultures
by Jenny Dean often use processes which are environmentally sound and
economically beneficial. Join us for an unforgettable explo-
Colours from Nature ration into the history of colour and its use. 90 minutes
by Jenny Dean
Indigo: A World of Blue shot on location
in southern India, Sindh, Pakistan; the
A Handbook of Indigo Dyeing
Vientiane District of Laos; the island of
by Vivien Prideaux Sumba, Indonesia; Yogyakarta, Indone-
sia, village Dhamadka, India; and Suley-
manköy, Turkey, Featuring renowned in-
digo scholar Jenny Balfour-Paul speaking
maiwa dye info sheets about indigo history, traditions, supersti-
tions and lore. 60 min.

Indigo & Woad Tana Bana is our second feature-length

A blue “how to.” All about vats, documentary film on craft. Here you will
preparation, dyeing and disposal. find works of great beauty and skill, in-
Free online: maiwa.com genious variations, and delicate figures.
Shot in rural locations in Africa, Laos, In-
donesia, India, and Pakistan, this docu-
mentary takes you to the world of looms,
weaves, and artisans. 60 min.

The Organic Vat

Co-authored with Michel Garcia, this
Through the Eye of a Needle: is the story
info sheet presents a number of options
of a unique group of craftswomen. Fol-
for reducing agents from fruit to other
low their journey as they return to creat-
dyes such as henna.
ing the world-class embroidery that made
Free online: maiwa.com their ancestors famous. The incredible
stories of the women from the KMVS
co-operative are recorded here through
video, song, laughter, and stitch. 30 min.
maiwa.com Maiwa documentaries on DVD: $21.95 cdn. each. Trailers
everything for the fibre arts available online: www.maiwa.com

Customers are responsible for dye and paint choices and recommendations. Maiwa staff do their best to assist customers in estimating quantities, proce-
dures and products. Maiwa Handprints Ltd. or its staff will not be held responsible for such advice. Dye recipes should be tested prior to all projects. Maiwa
Handprints Ltd. will not be held responsible for cost of products and/or labour to produce finished projects. Instructions are available free with each prod-
uct purchased, please ensure you read and understood them before beginning.

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