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Recipe

Bark and hull tannin dye

A brown-spectrum dye from bark, walnut husk, or acorns. Naturally self-mordanting thanks to its tannin load.

Every A New Field recipe has been run in a domestic kitchen or community hall. Read the safety notes before you start and adapt for your venue.

What you’ll make

Warm brown, darker with iron post-dip. Good lightfastness.

Flexible slots (flex around your material)

  • Tannin

    Tannin-rich100g

    Astringent plant matter high in tannins. Darkens with iron, acts as dye, mordant and mild binder.

    Examples Oak bark, walnut husk, acorn, black tea

  • Iron modifier (optional)

    Iron sourcePost-dip

    Iron salts or rust. Darkens tannins to a deep grey or black.

    Examples Rust water, iron sulphate

Fixed ingredients

  • Water · 3L

Equipment

  • Large pan
  • sieve.

Refinements and variations

  • Post-dip in iron water (P21) to shift to grey or black.

Source notes

Pre-industrial textile dyeing tradition.