Tannin mordant cotton Natural dyes have a low affinity towards the substrate cotton, so a solution had to be found: mordants. Pre-treated cotton fabrics were dyed with turmeric, henna, pomegranate, and madder. Some Mordants, like alum, prepare the cloth to receive the dye and do not add their own colour, others, like myrobalan, tannin and iron, will impart a colour to the cloth and can be used to significantly alter the colour of a Aug 19, 2024 · The second category is protein or animal fibers. This category encompasses any fiber that comes from an animal, including wool, cashmere, alpaca, mohair and silk. I will share my favorite method for mordanting cellulose fibers. Weigh the fibre dry, then scour. It is a two step, cold morndating process that uses tannin as an assist and an aluminum salt, aluminum acetate, as the mordant. tannin recipe. Use 15 to 20 grams of Acacia extract per 100 grams of scoured cotton followed by a second bath with 7 to 10 grams of aluminium acetate. Mordant fabric with 10% Gallo Tannin and soak for 1 hour. Some natural dyes contain elements (ex: tannins) that allow the dye to bind to fiber without any additional additives (ex: indigo). Tara powder is the Quecha word for the shrubby tree Caesalpinia tinctoria, native to South America MORDANTS & TANNINS¶ GENERAL INFORMATION¶ Processes for pre-mordanting textiles and fibres is discussed here. Adeel et al. Oct 29, 2021 · Since cellulose fabrics (like cotton and linen) don't create a strong bond with the dye particles and the Aluminum acetate; We used tannins to build an insoluble bond between the fibre, the dye and the mordant agent. The extracted tannin was employed as a natural mordant alone and in combination with metal mordant namely copper sulphate for cotton, wool and silk fabrics and dyed using natural dyes namely turmeric and pomegranate rind. Considering the use of natural dyes as an alternative to synthetic dyes, and the use of Dec 12, 2018 · Therefore, the effects of tannin mordanting were thoroughly investigated in this study. When is it important to use a tannin as part of the mordant process on cellulose fibers? Tannins will help with lightfastness. Jun 28, 2023 · When used as a mordant, it has a charming way of making those colors stick around. Mordants can Alum is one of the most popular mordants used in natural dyeing, as you can dye and mordant all at the same time. Mordant Cotton with the 3-step alum & tannin process This is a traditional process that has been thoroughly tested for many years. The natural plant source of Jan 23, 2013 · Myrobalan is an important tannin-based mordant for cotton in India and Southeast Asia due to the light warm colour it imparts to the cloth. Additionally, certain dyes and fibres might have specific requirements that influence the order of treatment. I used each of the tannins at 10% weight of fiber, which is the standard amount I use of gall nut extract. Gallnut extract is a natural product and an affordable substitute for tannic acid. The cotton bio-mordanting results (Figure 5a,b) indicated that bio pre-mordanting with 2% turmeric (curcumin) and with 3% pomegranate (tannin) gave a higher K/S value with a darker shade. Have fun with eco-printing! Have fun with eco-printing! Nov 3, 2022 · Natural dyeing without mordant. See full list on botanicalcolors. These dyes, as all other natural dyes, will need to be used in combination with natural fibers. Some dye recipes might call for a slightly different sequence, such as simultaneous tannin and mordant baths or using a combined tannin-mordant solution. Some common mordants for cotton include alum, tannic acid, and iron. 5% soda ash. You can dye cotton without the tannin mordant, but it will help the dye retain. For example we will mordant once with alum at 15% WOF and then again with a fresh mordant bath of alum at 10% WOF. Why Mordanting is Important and How it Works Myrobalan is an important tannin-based mordant for cotton in India and Southeast Asia due to the light warm colour it imparts to the cloth. The colour works well for overdyeing. Dec 18, 2019 · For the tannin mordant we used oak galls and we tried two methods of creating black with ferrous sulphate and tannin from plants. Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy, autographed by author Sara Buscaglia (with a great section on tannin mordanting!) Tannins or tannoids are a type of mordant that naturally occur in plants. For multiple mordant baths tannin must always be done first. Jan 15, 2022 · Before you comment that I should be using tannins if I want the colors to last in the sun, please check out my newest video:Mordanting Cotton With vs Without Table (3) Color of Dyeing Cotton Cloth with Without Mordant, 2 % Tannin and 2 % Tannin + 1 %CuSO 4 Dye Solution Without Mordant 2 % Tannin 2 % Tannin + 1 % CuSO 4 Beetroot Leaves of Hin-nu-nwe Rubbing Fastness Properties of Dyeing Products The sample has to be tested in the experimental condition. They can be used by themselves with an iron after-bath to create beautiful shades of grey. Sep 15, 2024 · In cotton, bio-mordants also produced an array of color shades. It’s also relatively safe and produces vibrant, long-lasting colors. They act the same way as mordants, but it was interesting to learn that the tannin level in some fruit/plants decreases as they ripen or age. Tannins come from substances like oak galls or sumac and have some tricks up their sleeve when it comes to dying. Dec 30, 2013 · When using a tannin mordant with plant fibers like cotton, linen, or hemp, allow extra time for the process, sometimes up to 2 to 3 days. Each bath must be completed before starting the next one. One common method is to use alum as a mordant. Tannin acts as a bonding agent, helping the dye molecules adhere to the fibers like a long-lasting friendship. a) Mordanting cotton with aluminium lactate or aluminium acetate: basic method (1 step) This method seems to yield deeper and clearer colours, as it uses no tannin which can slightly yellow the fibres. (The exception is black walnut, which doesn’t need the help of a mordant. Jan 7, 2023 · Not all natural dyes require mordants to attain a good final color. It is important not to put too much fibre in the mordanting pan. MORDANT MONDAY: Mordanting Cotton & Freezing Clothes. Metallic Salts May 19, 2024 · Start with 4 pieces of cotton, each approximately the size of a fat quarter (18×22 inches) Scour cotton fabric, using our scour recipe. Gallo Tannin. Tannin Pros: Feb 9, 2024 · Cutch aka Catechu is extracted from the heartwood of Acacia trees and is known for its warm, reddish-brown hues. Like many high tannin dyes, it has a pleasant, tea-like aroma. Apr 21, 2025 · However, cotton does not have the same affinity for natural dyes as protein fibers such as wool, so the cellulose mordant process is different to achieve good results. They also have less burdens on the environment compared to the metal mordants. , 2019) with mordant (Repon et al. Aug 2, 2021 · My post about 'How to mordant Linen and Cotton successfully' talks about a 2step process, explaining how to mordant natural plant fibres by using Tannin and an Alum/Soda Ash combination. Either option will create a relatively neutral pH mordant bath that bonds well with cotton. The mordant process for cellulose fibers includes pretreating with a tannin, then immersing the tannin treated fabric into an alum solution. Dyeing: Brazilwood develops best in slightly hard water. com Nov 25, 2020 · In this post, I’m going to teach you how to mordant. I mordant 6 pieces of fabric in different ways, 3 of them us Mordanting: Use alum mordant at 15% WOF for protein fibres. Then create an alum mordant bath with 15% aluminum sulfate or aluminum potassium sulfate and 1. 2017). Myrobalan is also the perfect colour to lay down under a single indigo dip for teal. The tannins make it possible for you to dye without using a mordant, however, when you add a copper mordant, you get a khaki color that was used for military uniforms. 1 gram of each gall source Mar 20, 2022 · In this video I test the difference tannin makes in mordanting cotton fabric for natural dyeing. According to pre-bio-mordanting experiment findings, applying extracts Jan 21, 2024 · Tannin, a naturally occurring polyphenol compound found in various plant materials such as oak galls, sumac, and tea leaves, acts as an excellent mordant for textiles. These three mordants are easy to use and deliver excellent results. It is also the perfect colour to lay down under a single indigo dip for teal. Hot tap water is sufficient. Soak the fabric in this bath for 1 hour. There is a growing demand in the fashion market for products that are less aggressive to the environment and use of environmentally friendly processes. 2. Of particular concern is the depletion of mineral ores, namely copper and ferrous, utilized in textile processing units for varied purposes, such as mordants for the natural coloration of textiles to enhance the fastness properties. The mordanting of cotton was performed before, during and Feb 23, 2024 · Bitter gourd leaf extract can be used as dyes, and turmeric (curcumin), henna (lawson), golden shower peel (tannin), onion peel (quercetin), and pomegranate peel (tannin) can be used as bio-mordants to dye cotton with sufficient color fastness, according to Batool et al. Prepare an alum mordant bath using either (a) 20% weight-of-fabric alum + 5% soda ash (washing soda), or (b) 20% weight-of-fabric of aluminum lactate. Sep 21, 2023 · There are several techniques for mordanting cotton fabric. Tannins have been reported to be the most important ingredients which are necessary for dyeing with natural dyes, especially to brown shades of color (Janani et al. . Tannins help the alum bind to the cellulose fabric better. Oct 16, 2022 · Plant-based fibers, such as cotton and linen, need a tannin mordant followed by a metal mordant. , 2017) and the mordants are applied to fixed the dyes molecules on the surface of the cotton fabrics (Mozumder and Majumder, 2016). Though this is not always the case, and you can get nice blues on cotton without it. Adding finely ground chalk (or a Tum’s tablet – 1 to each 4 liters of water) brightens If you are dyeing cellulose fabrics (plant-based, like cotton) then it can be beneficial to do a tannin bath prior to an alum mordant. That is done by combing Aum and Soda ash and adding the tannin soaked textile to it for a minimum of 2 hours. May 5, 2021 · Tara: Tara powder is widely used as a light-colored tannin in leather industry. Another technique is to use tannin, which is a natural substance found in plants. Content courtesy Mordants are used in combination with natural dyes to make the colours lightfast and washfast. Dec 1, 2014 · Tamarind seed coat tannin was extracted and its tannin class was determined. I wanted to know something about the tannin quantity of these various galls and if they could be used interchangeably for dyeing applications. cotton) fibers with natural dyes, you need a mordant or fixative to help set the dye on the fiber. The various concentrations of tannin mordant (3%, 5% and 7%) are used depending on the weight of the fabric to evaluate the effect of tannin amount in the dyeing of cotton fabric with turmeric dye. The mordant forms a coordination complex with the dye which attaches to the fiber. A tannin mordant is most commonly used on vegetable fibres, either alone or as part of the alum mordanting process when using alum sulphate or aluminium from symplocos leaves Jan 27, 2013 · Mordanting cotton or cellulose fibres. It is rich in tannins and mainly used to dye silk and cotton fabrics. The fabric/sample has to be If you listen closely sometimes you will hear a brief fizzing sound as the cotton enters the mordant bath; this is a sign the tannin is reacting with the alum. Shades obtained were yellow, grey, khaki, and pink, respectively (Prabhu, Teli, and Waghmare Citation 2011). Jul 19, 2023 · The mordant you choose will depend on the type of dye you plan to use and the color you want to achieve. The procedure is to immerse the textile in tannin first, then in Jul 5, 2020 · Tannin Mordant. If you desire to create a dark color increase the tannin amount up tp 20% WOF. Aug 3, 2018 · One step that improves the depth and fastness of color on cotton is to use tannin in conjunction with your mordant. Oct 9, 2019 · The textile industry is considered a major polluter of the environment using chemical substances such as color fixatives and the production of toxic waste. The tannins need to be turned into tannates in order to make them insoluble. . Pastes, gels & liquids. Shop: All mordants & assists. The fabric is soaked in the mordant solution before being dyed. If you can’t find alum locally (or just can’t be bothered), you can easily order some via Amazon. These are the natural dyes that don’t need a mordant during the dye process: Walnut dye; Black tea dye ; Indigo; Oak galls; Sumac; The reason why they don’t need a mordant is because they have high levels of tannin. Just add your alum to the dye bath, mix well, then add yarn or fibre. Alum is a popular mordant for cotton because it’s readily available and easy to use. Myrobalan is a good foundation for overdyeing. May 19, 2015 · Tannin is used as a sub mordant on cottons, along with alum or another metal salt. Mordant fabric with 10% Sumac, and soak for 1 hour. If you are dyeing only cellulose fibers, aluminum acetate with calcium carbonate is an excellent mordant, and adding a tannin step before mordanting is recommended. Fabrication time. Natural Dyes - Tannins Tannins have many uses in natural dyeing! Used along with an alum mordant tannins will give you richer colors on cotton. Tannins are not technically mordants (they are not metallic salts) but they are often included when speaking about the mordant process for cellulose fibres - as in, “mordanted with alum at 15% WOF and and myrobalan at 5% WOF. Feb 8, 2023 · Natural dyes, obtained from plants, insects/animals, and minerals, are renewable and sustainable bioresource products with minimum environmental impact. Then follow our tannin-alum mordant recipe using Gallo Tannin. ) For animal-based 3. However, there are still many issues to solve related to natural dyes; consequently, synthetic dyes are still wildly used. 2014). wool) or cellulose (e. As an example, one pound of fabric is 454 grams, and 8% of 454 grams is 36 grams. Using tongs or a metal spoon, gently work the cotton in the mordant bath for 3 minutes (for thin material like t-shirts) or 5 minutes (for thick material like broadcloth). Jan 1, 2024 · The emissions and effluents from the textile industry are posing dire consequences to environmental and human health alike. Preparation time: variable When you mordant cotton and other plant fibres you need to use tannin as well as alum. Feb 19, 2024 · How to Mordant with Tannin and Alum. Types of Mordants. May 23, 2020 · Once rinsed, we apply a tannin mordant. Either way, make sure you rinse the cotton well to remove any unfixed mordant before you dye. Jul 24, 2023 · The best technique is to try to traditional tannin-alum mordant which uses aluminum sulfate but aluminum potassium sulfate also works just fine. If you are dyeing a blend of protein and cellulose fibers (such as wool/hemp, silk//bamboo, or silk/cotton), use mordants that can dye both types, as s May 15, 2024 · Tannins are an extra gift from Mother Nature and can be found in most plants, but some plants are richer in tannin than others making them perfect for hand dyed fabrics without the use of a mordant. Not all tannins will cause such a major color shift (some definitely will) The concentration of mordant 20 and 25% owf from the data showed that the concentration of soluble tannins in the washing water was higher than 15% owf, this was because the absorption of cotton cloth on mordant tannins of tamarind seeds was only about 15% owf, so it cannot be completely absorbed by the fabric. Which mordant should you use? For basic mordanting, refer to this table. Apr 28, 2024 · Scour cotton fabric, using our scour recipe. Aluminium acetate is an easier and quicker alternative to the alum/tannin process. A tannin mordant will impact the colour of the final dye on the plant fibers as well. The best natural tannins for dyeing In another study, it was reported that cotton and silk fabrics could be dyed using the natural mordant tannin extracted from amla using five different natural dye sources and copper sulfate, a metal mordant, and the K/S and UFP (ultraviolet protection factor) values of dyed fabrics increased significantly (Chao et al. A good starting point with tannin is 8% WOF. Apr 26, 2022 · Previous research established tannins from dried fruits of Emblica Officinalis (Amla) as an efficient source of mordant. g. Jun 19, 2013 · The first five minutes tend to release the most potent tannins, so this is the solution to save for later use for a fall dye starter, and for mordanting cotton. 4. Cellulose fibres also require a tannin in order to bond well. When used as a tannin mordant myrobalan requires 15-20% WOF. Choose your mordants (see individual dyes for recommendations). The only downside of using tannin is that it can darken the color and make it more brown. Nov 25, 2015 · Cotton can also form an exception as, to get the super dark indigo tones, it can actually be necessary to lay down a tannin mordant on cotton fabric. If you are dyeing protein (e. Photo by Fotolia/essentialimage 2 / 2 Jan 15, 2022 · Is there any preferred mordant to use on silk and cotton? It is possible to use tannin and aluminum sulfate or aluminum acetate and wheat bran post bath. Meanwhile, 4% turmeric and 4% pomegranate application on the dyed cotton sample using an Nov 19, 2021 · If you are lucky enough to find oak galls while foraging, grab a handful for your dye pot! The oak gall is full of tannin and is a great way to pretreat your Feb 23, 2024 · Complex structure formed between bio-mordant, cotton, and dye (this figure was adapted from Thakker and Sun 2022) or metallic mordants, oil mordants, and tannins. Heat the mordant bath to 150°F or 160°F, place the cotton in it, and raise the heat to 190°F. Tannin extraction involves soaking the tannin-rich plant material in hot water or alcohol to release the tannins, which can then be used to prepare the fabric for dyeing. 1) Fill a large dye pot or plastic bucket with 120f water. Mar 27, 2025 · Fiber Compatibility: Certain fibers require specific mordants for optimal results; for instance, wool often benefits from metal salts, while cotton typically needs tannin-based mordants. Simultaneous and post-mordanting is also possible. We also sampled oak galls as a dye. 5 Dyeing of the Cotton Fabric with and without Mordant In this research, the extracted tannin from almond leaves is used as natural mordant . For cellulose, first mordant with tannin at 8% WOF, then either 1) use alum at 15% with soda ash at 2% or 2) use aluminum acetate at 8%. How do I use Acacia extract as a mordant? You can use acacia extract instead of gallnut extract or tannic acid as the source of tannin when following one of the cotton mordant recipes. Tannin helps baste and cellulous fibers to catch and bond with the dye. Then follow our tannin-alum mordant recipe using Sumac in place of Gallo Tannin. Or we will do a tannin/alum/alum mordant to achieve slightly richer colours. Note: For more effective mordanting on fibres such as linen we mordant twice with alum. Q & A: Round Up of Scouring + Mordanting 101. They were applied to cotton fabric prior to mordant and dye. Sep 1, 2015 · As mordants three metal salts were used as mordants (ferrous sulphate, aluminium sulphate and zinc chloride), and organic mordant tannin. It also allows you to use tannin bearing plants like sumac leaves instead of tannic acid. It has a high gallic acid tannin content between 30 and 50% tannins, making it ideal for mordanting. Physical form. The drawback in the above recipe is, that the natural tannin colour will stain the fabric after the first mordanting step. Mordanting Technique Tip: Jul 1, 2021 · Turmeric dyes can be applied on the 100% of cotton knitted fabric (Ahmed et al. Alum is a mineral salt that can be dissolved in hot water and then added to a dye bath. Mordants, tannins and binders to lock pigments to fibres, for more colorfast dyeing with natural dyes. THE MORDANT PROCESS. There are several types of mordants available, each with its own unique characteristics: 1. ” Mar 5, 2013 · It is an important tannin based mordant for cotton in India and southeast Asia due to the light warm colour it imparts to the cloth. ftbze fgmn sjxf ocritu gfarl cabec ussnzg qhaob rhexb myuq