Georgina Langdale
Madder Root
English Name: Indian Madder
Botanical Name: Rubia cordifolia
Colouring Component: Alizarin
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified
Description:
Rubia cordifolia, often known as common madder or Indian madder. Madder's colouring component, Alizarin has been prized as an art and dye colour, and Madder roots have a long history of use as a dye for materials such as for leather, wool, cotton and silk stretching over many thousands of years. Archaeologists have found traces of madder in linen in Tutankhamen’s tomb (1350 BC), and in wool discovered in Norse burial grounds.
Our madder root is grown in the hilly districts of India.
Colour Imparted:
It gives a beautiful orange to red colour on cellulose and wool fibres.
Dyeing process :
Mordant the cellulose and wool fibres with Alum 10% Weight of Fabric (WOF) for 30 mins at 80C.
Wash the fibre after mordanting.
For a medium shade use madder root at 2% Weight of Fabric (WOF)and dye the fibre for 1 hour at 100C.
Then wash with non-ionic soap.
Guide:
50 grams of Madder Root extract is enough for 2.5kg Weight of Fabric at a medium shade
INSPIRATION IS ORGANIC
I have sourced these G.O.T.S. certified plant dyes from partners I worked with in India when I was creating beautiful healing herb textiles. It is lovely to be partnering with my colleagues again in order to make these dyes available.
F.A.Q.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DYE AND A PIGMENT?
The main difference between them is that dyes are soluble, while pigments are insoluble and are suspended in a medium or binder.
WHERE DO YOUR PLANT DYES COME FROM?
I source my dyes from my partners in India whom I have collaborated with since 2015. I will also be growing some dye plants in the my gardens and hope to have them available in due course.
ARE PLANT DYES HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT?
No they are not. They are all grown sustainably. They are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certifed. The GOTS standard was developed by leading standard setters to define world-wide recognised requirements for organic textiles.
Water from the dyeing process can be used on the garden, and plant material can be added to compost.
