Natural colouration technology works well with wool textiles to produce a superior natural aesthetic quality and look. Wool absorbs natural dyes better than synthetic textile fibres.
Natural dyes are extracted from natural materials such as plants, minerals and even shells and insects. There are two types of natural dyes. Adjective dyes which require a mordant (dye fixative) and substantive dyes which exhaust and fix on the fibres without the use of a mordant.
Plant-based natural dyes include woad, indigo, saffron and madder. Invertebrate natural dyes include Tyrian purple, cochineal and crimson kermes. Other naturally occurring dyestuff alternatives include bacteria derived dyestuff and bi-product dyes (such as dyes from food waste).
Woolmark Natural Dye Partners
Woolmark partners using natural dye
Working with a society of weavers in India, Richard Malone uses completely organic and plant-based dyes throughout his label. His International Woolmark Prize collection employs handwoven, traditional fabrics with organic and azo-free dyes, from protected farms that employ regenerative initiatives to sustain both jobs and the environment.
Extracts have been taken from the vembadam plant to produce a lilac colour, sky blue is achieved from the clitoria plant, marigold and myrobalan was used to complement the colour from the karungali plant and the wedlia plant produced luscious greens for the collection.