Various colors from natural materials around you

Various colors from natural materials around you

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Natural Dyeing is the process of changing the color of fiber materials, such as silk, by using natural substances known as "dyes."

Natural dyeing in Isaan, Thailand, is a cultural heritage passed down through generations. In the past, dyes came from nature, such as parts of plants, animals, and minerals. Local weavers experimented until they developed a deep knowledge of natural dyeing suitable for their community.

Here are some natural dye materials and the shades they produce:

Mudmee Silk 4-12 Tako, Natural Color

Yellow Shades

  • Khe or Kae Lae: Made from the core of the tree Mactura cochinchinensis (Family: Moraceae). Villagers chop the heartwood, boil it, and extract dye to produce dark yellow or lighter shades depending on the tree's age.
  • Pomegranate: Uses dried bark from Punica granatum (Family: Punicaceae). Pomegranate peels are boiled to extract dye for dark or light yellow tones.
  • Pradhot: Uses dried bark from Garcinia duleis (Family: Guttiferae). The bark is boiled to create bright lemon yellow shades or lighter colors.
Yellow Natural Dye Image

Red Shades

  • Lac: From the shellac-producing insect Laccifer lacca (Family: Lacciferidae). Shellac is used for dyeing silk to a reddish color.
  • Fang (Sappan wood): Made from the core of Caesalpinian sappan (Family: Leguminosae). There are dark red ("Fang Sen") and yellow ("Fang Som") varieties, used for dyeing both cotton and silk fibers red.
  • Pradu: Uses bark from Pterocarpus macrocarpus (Family: Leguminosae), boiled to produce brown shades.
  • Forest Yor Root: From Morinda citrifolia (Family: Rubiaceae). The red roots are used for dyeing cotton fibers a red tone.
  • Arang: Uses bark from Peltophorum dasyrachis (Family: Fabaceae). The bark is boiled to produce reddish-brown or lighter shades.
  • Sisad: Uses bark from Acacia catechu (Family: Leguminosae), producing dark brown shades.
Red Natural Dye Image

Brown Shades

  • Kradon: Made from bark and dried pulp of Careya sphaerica (Family: Lecythidaceae), boiled to produce brown or grayish shades.
  • Gooseberry: Uses bark and pulp of Phyllanthus acidus (Family: Phyllanthaceae), boiled to produce brown or grayish shades.
  • Coon: Uses pods and pulp from Cassia fistula (Family: Caesalpiniaceous), producing brown or gray shades.
Brown Natural Dye Image Mudmee Silk 2 Tako, Natural Color

Shades of Green

  • Sweet Leaf: Made from the leaves of Terminalia catappa (Family: Combretaceae), boiled to produce greenish-yellow shades.
  • Peka: Uses bark and pulp of Oroxylum indicum (Family: Bignoniaceae), boiled to produce green shades.
Green Natural Dye Image

Black Shades

  • Ebony: Made from the raw fruit of Diospyros mollis (Family: Ebenaceae). The fruits are crushed to get white latex, which is used to produce dark gray or black shades.
Black Natural Dye Image Mudmee Silk, 3 Tako, Natural Color

Indigo Blue Shades

  • Hom: Uses branches and leaves from Baphicacanthus cusia (Family: Acanthaceae). The leaves are fermented to produce a dark indigo color.
  • Indigo: Made from branches and leaves of Indigofera tinctoria (Family: Leguminosae), producing dark or light indigo colors depending on the dyeing process.
  • Indigo Vine: Made from vines and leaves of Marsdeniatinctoria (Family: Asclepiadaceae), fermented to create indigo shades.
Indigo Natural Dye Image

For those interested in buying silk for sewing luxury dresses, you can visit www.silkket.com. Our shop offers plain colored silk, Mudmee pattern silk, native silk, and national silk, all crafted with meticulous quality by expert technicians.

The shop is dedicated to preserving this beautiful culture. Contact the Chobmai store team for assistance in choosing products and additional advice through LineOA: @chobmai. Thank you for your interest, and Chobmai is happy to serve you.

Thank you for the source: Book of Isan Textile Wisdom Heritage

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