Natural dyeing is the practice of using plant-based pigments to colour textile fibers. Unlike synthetic dyes, plant-based colours develop a patina over time — deepening, shifting, becoming more themselves as the fabric is worn and washed. This is the quality that makes naturally dyed textiles worth the labour.
The mordanting process binds the dye to the fiber. Common mordants include alum, iron, and tannin-rich oak gall. Each mordant shifts the final colour differently.
Dyestuffs
Process
"The selvedge is the self-finished edge of a woven cloth — the boundary that keeps the weft from unravelling. It's where the structure of the fabric becomes visible."
The mordant ratio is typically expressed as mordant_weight / fiber_weight — for alum, 15–20% WOF is standard for wool.
mordant: alum weight_of_fiber: 100g mordant_amount: 15g # 15% WOF water_volume: 4L temperature: 82°C duration: 45 minutes