Can I get my order faster?

Our orders dispatch within 1-2 business days. Delivery estimates are available on each individual listing. If you would like your shipment faster, please choose the EXPRESS option from the dropdown menu on the checkout page. Local Pick Up is available in East End Toronto - visit juliesinden.com to order, and choose Local Pick Up as your shipping option at the checkout. We are not responsible for delays caused by the postal service. Customers are responsible for any customs and duties charges.

What can I dye with your dyes?

Our natural dyes can be used to dye any natural fibres. You can use garments, fabric, yarn, unspun fleece, housewares such as napkins or tea towels and more. It should be 100% natural fibre, but can be cotton, linen, hemp, silk, wool, alpaca, mohair, etc. If your fibre has a very small amount of synthetic fibre, such as a t-shirt that is 95% cotton 5% elastine, or a sock yarn that is 95% wool, 5% nylon, it will still dye without much noticeable difference. However, if it has a higher synthetic content, such as a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend, it will greatly affect the colour. Only the cotton, or natural fibres, will dye, and the synthetic won't. In general, this will result in significantly paler shades.

Do your dyes come with instructions?

All of our kits come with comprehensive instructions, geared towards a beginner dyer. You can find all our kits here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/theloveofcolours?ref=seller-platform-mcnav§ion_id=26276458 Our bulk dyes are intended for experienced dyers, or folks who have other resources to teach them how to dye.

What else do I need for the Indigo Kit?

- hot water - a bucket or large vessel, ideally one that can hold around 15-20 litres. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - I usually just use one of the cheap plastic buckets with a handle from the hardware store. But you can also use a rubbermaid bin or a canning pot - second bucket or vessel that you can drip into. This one can be smaller - something to stir with - a metal or wooden spoon, or even just a stick - rubber or latex gloves (optional, but if you opt out, you'll have blue hands - items to dye - can be garments, yarn, fabric, housewares, anything as long as it's natural fibre - and it needs to be pre-washed - 1/4 cup of white vinegar, or the juice from 2 limes or lemons

What else do I need for the Natural Dye Kit?

- a cooking pot that you can cook the dyes in - a strainer or some cheesecloth that you can use to strain the dyes - a bowl or something to strain the dye extract into - a spoon or something to stir with - items to dye - can be garments, yarn, fabric, housewares anything as long as it's natural fibre

Do these dyes expire?

All of our dyes are sold dried and/or powdered, and have a very long shelf life if kept stored in a cool, dry place.

How much dye do I need/what does WOF mean?

There are several things that will determine what colour each dye produces, the most important being what you are dyeing, and how much dye you use. The main consideration is how much dye you use - almost always, more dye will give you darker colours, and less dye will give you paler colours. Recipes and guidelines are generally given for a medium depth of shade. If you would like darker colours, you need to use more. Dye amounts are calculated based on a percentage weight of fibre (wof), which means you determine how much your fibre weighs, and multiply it by the percentage given for each dyestuff. For example: for a 100g skein of yarn, and your wof percentage is 5, you need 5 grams of dye.

What is a mordant and do I need one?

What is a mordant and do I need one? Mordanting is the process of adding a soluble metal to the fibre, which aids the dye in adhering to the fibre. Almost all natural dyes require the use of a mordant. The most common mordant is alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) a food safe ingredient that used in pickling, which gives a clear bright shade. Cochineal, Osage, Logwood and Madder all require the use of a mordant. We sell alum here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/774153697 If you are dyeing cellulose or plant fibres such as cotton, you also need to pre-treat your fibre with a substance that is high in tannins. Our favourite is gallnut, which leaves the fibres clear and bright. You can find it here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/760260

Can your kits be used for tie dye?

Indigo is a great fit for resist dyeing because the fabric goes in and out of the vat for short amounts of time, so the dye doesn't tend to seep in behind the resists. However, it is only one colour - blue. If you want more colours, you can use our Natural Dye Kit, but the dyes in this kit need to be heated, and for at least 45 minutes. The combination of time and heat means that the dyes are more likely to seep in behind the resists, so they have to be super tight! We did some experimenting with creating strong dye extracts with our kit, then squirting them directly onto the fabric, and then steaming it all together. See more here: https://www.juliesinden.com/blogs/natural-dye-tips-and-tutorials/tie-dyeing-with-natural-dyes

What else do I need for the Clay Resist Kit?

- a measuring cup for liquids - a regular or immerision/hand blender - something to apply the clay paste with - it can be stencils, paint brushes, silk screens, lino cuts, wood blocks, etc - an indigo vat to dye the resisted fabric in - fabric to print on. It can be any natural fibre, but we recommend something without too much texture. Coloured or previously dyed fabric works as well. If your fabric is yellow, for example, it will remain yellow where you apply the paste, and will become green where it mixes with the blue from the indigo vat.

Report this item to Etsy

Price:$10.95

Soda Ash - ph modifier and scouring agent

Name: Soda Ash - ph modifier and scouring agent
Brand: theloveofcolours
SKU: 981810212
Price: 10.95 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (2324 reviews)

theloveofcolours

Arrives soon! Get it by Jun 8-17 if you order today

Returns & exchanges accepted

Save 20% when you spend $175+ at this shop

Quantity

You can only make an offer when buying a single item

Star Seller. This seller consistently earned 5-star reviews, shipped on time, and replied quickly to any messages they received.

Highlights

Made by theloveofcolours
Supplies for making crafts
Gift wrapping available
See details

Pure sodium carbonate powder, which can be used in a variety of natural dyeing and other processes, including:

Use as an alkaline modifier to shift the colour of your dye bath (i.e. cochineal pink will shift to purple)

Use as a scouring agent for cellulose fibres, to remove unwanted starches, resins and particles from your fibres, which may resist the dye

Use in conjunction with alum to create a lake pigment to save your exhausted dyebath for future use

Use as the activator for procion fibre reactive (synthetic) dyes

And more!

This listing is for 150g (5.5 oz)

Order today to get by Jun 8-17
Returns & exchanges accepted within 21 days
Cost to ship: $6.00

Enjoy free shipping to the US when you spend $35+ at this shop.
Ships from: Canada

There was a problem calculating your shipping. Please try again.

Country

Zip code

Please enter a valid zip code.

Etsy Purchase Protection
Shop confidently on Etsy knowing if something goes wrong with an order, we've got your back for all eligible purchases — see program terms

Etsy invests in climate solutions like electric trucks and carbon offsets for every delivery. See how