How to Use Metal Mordants

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“The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes” by Sasha Duerr is full of helpful tips and recipes for home dyeing enthusiasts.
“The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes” by Sasha Duerr is full of helpful tips and recipes for home dyeing enthusiasts.
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Fig leaves in a stainless steel pot ready for extraction and iron mordanting.
Fig leaves in a stainless steel pot ready for extraction and iron mordanting.

Home dyeing can be a gamble if you are new to the idea, but even if you are experienced in the art, knowing the reaction difference between animal fibers and plant based fibers can be crucial to proper dye absorption. Using The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes (Timber Press, 2010) Sasha Duerr walks you through using mordants and natural dyes in perfect harmony. This excerpt explains the use and handling of metal mordants.

Metal Mordants

Handle all mordants with care. When working with mordants, always wear gloves and a dust mask. And when working with mordants and heat, keep the mordants and dyes well below the boiling point so fumes aren’t created that you might inhale.

The only metallic mordants we will be working with in this book are alum and iron. These mordants are nontoxic when used in the proper proportions. But they can be irritants and caustic, so work with them carefully to avoid any health hazards. When handled properly, alum and iron are excellent, easy mordants to use, to get longlasting and even dramatic colors.

  • Published on Dec 30, 2013
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