1 Indigo (ferm entation vat) 1 Indigo (hydrosulphite vat) _ s llow Birch leav e , ye Butternut hulls 1 Coreopsis flow ers ' D i - hl ow ers u a a fl u Hollygrape root FustiC+— m adder Iron buff 2 r stern 1 Heml ock ba k, w e Onion skins Hickor rk hit uerci r n—fi— m y ba , w e Q t o adder Hickory nut hulls Hollygrape root Juniper berries Indigo — Cochineal $ $ l rk orw 1 Map e ba , N ay 1 Marigold flow ers _ ‘ - — M n in l re l ves - Gol enr flow rs m er ou ta au l ea 1 d od e add 35 1 Pecan hulls Broom sedge _ 1 m m rs ellow Persian berries Ca o ile flow e , y ' P l r l es Lom Chro ellow 2 op a eav , bardy me y 1 1 Sassafras root bark _ Cotton flow ers Sum ac berries 1 Fustic T l nr owrs ea eaves, black Golde o d fl e T elo l i o rk w hite 1 up or b ack gum bark H ck ry ba , l k l Wa nut bar , b ack l h 1 Wa nut ull s, black Walnut hulls Persian or Eng lish 1 Gray : Poplar leaves Lom bardy Butternut hulls 2 Privet leaves (3111 013 111 ark 2 1 31 b Sunfl ower flow ers I — 1 $ ndigo w alnut 1111118 Tulip tree leaves M a le rk 2 i p ba , Norway $ nnia flowers 1 o w oo and to B th l cot n. 2 C o on o tt nly. J UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT or AGRICULTURE MIS CELLANEO U S PUBLICATI N O N O . 230 Was hington, D . C . Decem ber 1935 HOME DYEING WITH NATURAL DYES B M S . FuR R r assis an ex ile chemis and BE M IE n ss . M T assis a y ARGARET , t t t t t , V O N , t t ex i le s eci ali s o Tex iles and lo hin B r H t t p t , f t C t g, u eau of ome E conomics C O N TEN TS P ag e Intro uc ion 1 S e s in d ein rocess— C n inu d d t t p y g p o t e . Color fastness 2 W ashing C olor combinations 3 M ordanting E q uipment and supplies 4 U sing the dye recipes Steps in the dyeing process 5 T op -dye Weighing 5 INTR O DUCTIO N The present wide - spread interest in handicraft work has brought to the Departm ent of Agriculture a dem and for reliable inform ation of on the use tree barks , nut hulls , and other natural dyestuffs gathered m $ i m locally . Though for ost purposes the synthet c dyes anufactured b c mm i m m i y o erc al che ical processes are ore sat sfactory , there are certain qualities about natural dyes that give them com m ercial value in i m di m hand craft work , and any han craft workers prefer to use the on m i - ater als for hooked rugs , hand woven scarfs , coverlets , and other i i in i m art cles they make for sale . These hand craft dustr es have beco e mm n i a source of family incom e in som e rural co u it es . Such proj ects are also being developed in connection with various Federal and State i i i i rel ef act v t es . This publication 1 reports the results of tests on about 65 natural dye materials when used for dyeing cotton and wool cloth . Most i i m of the dyes studied are of vegetable or g n . In fact the ter s $ natural $ and vegetable $ dyes are often used interchangeably few hi of im i i i ff though a , such as coc neal , are an al or g n and ron bu m and some others are developed from mineral pig ents . Sam ples of all the dyes studied in these experim ents were given i unsatis standard tests for color fastness . Many were d scarded as and i i factory (p . only rec pes are ncluded for those that produced i mm attractive colors fast to both light and washing . S nce the co on m m e nam es of trees and plants differ so uch fro plac to place , the The of i ul in scientific nam es are given . college agr c ture any State locaht will give help in identifying plant m aterials . In each y there are m any natural dye m aterials that by one dye m or another o ethod hi i i i s 1ntended m w ill give satisfactory colors . T s publ cat on erely 1 Faw ce assis an a o o is ureau of P an In us r , for Acknow ledgment is made to E dna H . tt , t t p th l g t , B l t d t y R e associa e o o o is ureau of P an In us r , for urn s n an helpful suggestions$ to C . A . e d , t p m l g t , B l t d t y f i hi g pl t en n an s and to ar on ake senior bo ani s ureau of P an In us r , for $ M materials $ to S . F . Bl , t t , B l t d t y id tifyi g pl t i M P i i s of the ureau of H o e cono cs for enera abora ory ass s ance. A . B elknap and ary A . h ll p B m E mi , g l l t i t 1 0 6 2 6 ° — 35 1 1 I A IO 2 30 . s . O F A IC I . B C 2 M SC PU L T N , U DEPT GR ULTURE A few s mim i e as a guide for such w ork . State have eographed d r 2 n tions for using atural dyes . CO L O R FAS TNES S n or m IS i m nO is The fast ess per anence Of a dye portant , but dye n i i m a i or absolutely fast under all co d t ons . It y be fast to l ght , to hi r m ir i n or w . persp at o , to as ng , but not fast to all th ee Further ore , a dye m ay be fast on one fiber and not on another $ or it m ay be fast n m w hen dyed by o e ethod and not fast when dyed by another . i fi il ul in Of all the text le bers , wool can be dyed most eas y , and the res t g n t m i wi a i all colors cha ge the leas . It co b nes th pr ct cally dyes , mi m probably for ng a chemical union with the . Cotton does not m i w ll on it co bine w th dyes so e , and fast colors are produced only by m i co pl cated processes . The need for a particular kind Of fastness depends on the nature n a of the color change a d the use to be m ade Of the dyed f bric . For m i m a on exa ple , a fabric dyed brown w th tree bark y darken exposure i in is mi to l ght . If used a hooked rug th color change ght be satis on in wi i it n factory but the other hand , ndow draper es would soo m i beco e Obj ect onable . TO m ake sure that the recipes given on pages 8 to 35 produce n be ul m colors permane t enough to usef for ost purposes , the dyed i i i and i fabr cs were tested for the r fastness _to l ght to wash ng by the i m in c in . follow ng ethods . The results are luded the dye recipes For i m w the l ght test , sa ples Of the dyed fabrics ere cut and exposed m for 4 0 hours to the rays Of a carbon arc la p . Throughout the test period half Of each piece was shielded from the light w hile the rays ‘ m tw o Of the la p shone directly on the other half . Then the parts were com pared and the fastness to light rated as follow s : Good— no appreciable change Of color $ fair— appreciable but not Obj ectionable — change Of color $ poor Obj ectionable change Of color . in i Though these light tests were run a standard fad ng apparatus , the same m ethod can be follow ed at hom e by exposing sam ples to the 2 —i i in Of tw o O f sunlight . Cut nch square open ngs each pieces heavy i one w i mm cardboard , fasten a p ece Of the dyed cloth to th gu ed paper and cover w ith the other piece Of cardboard so that the openings i n is im i m h . correspo d . It portant that the l ght co e t rough the fabr c Then place this1 sam ple in its fram e out Of doors in the direct sunlight i n Af m m and t lted tow ards the su .