Olderbrother

Our Natural Dyes

Indigo

For thousands of years, Indigo has been prized around the world for its richness, longevity and versatility. By championing natural indigo dye, we are honoring the tradition and history of the process, supporting the farmers who grow the plants, and helping to reduce the harmful waste put out by the garment industry.

Madder Root

When the root of the madder plant Rubia tinctoria is harvested, its already spent at least three years of its life in the ground growing, spreading, and soaking up the earth around it. Madder is one of the oldest dyes around, and for thousands of years it has been the best source of earthy red dye for everyone from King Tut to the British Redcoats.

Myrobalan

Myrobalan dye is made from the nut of the Terminalia chebula tree, which grows at the foot of the Himalayas throughout Nepal and India, as well as much of Southeast Asia. Known in Ayurvedic medicine as Haritaki fruit, myrobalan can be used to treat a number of ailments, and is believed to have cleansing properties. On its own as a dye, myrobalan can be used to get a pale yellow color, but can also be considered a mordant because it is used as a modifier to make colors more yellow.

Tannins

Tannins are a not just in wine - they are a diverse class of pigments that can be found in a wide variety of plants, and for this reason have been used for centuries as a dye mordant to darken and enrich color. Tannins are also powerful antioxidants with a characteristic bitter taste commonly found in “superfoods”.

Oak Galls

Oak galls are a result of an immune reaction from the oak tree, and similar to how human bodies become inflamed when under attack from microorganisms, the oak tree creates a large swelling at the site of attack. When the battle is won, the ball remains, rich in concentrated tannins, and eventually falls to the ground where it can be collected to use as a dye mordant and gray tones.

Alum

Alum, or potassium aluminum sulphate, is an eco-friendly staple of any natural dyers repertoire, and is one of the best pre-dye mordants. Alum evens out and enlivens colors, and is critical in enabling dye molecules to bind to the fiber, creating longer lasting and more vibrant colors.

Iron Oxide

Iron oxide (II), or ferrous sulphate, is an iron salt that is used in dyeing as a mordant, or dye modifier, to help darken and mute colors. It also helps increase the lightfastness of dyes, and is a key element in making blacks and other dark, rich colors.