Shepherd Textiles Indigo Extract Natural Dye, 1 oz.

1. Build a Reduction Vat

Natural indigo will only dissolve in water that is reduced (contains no dissolved oxygen gas) and alkaline (PH 10 or 11). A bucket or tub of water with these qualities is known as a "reduction vat." There are many different strategies for building a reduction vat, some using chemicals and others using natural ingredients. Our favorite is the banana vat, which produces clean blues and leaves fabric smelling sweet and pleasant, rather than like harsh chemicals. Various instructions are available online; we recommend building whichever reduction vat works best for your dyeing goals. If building a chemical vat, be sure to read your manufacturers' safety data sheets (SDS) and follow suggested safety guidelines.

2. Dip Wet Fiber

When the reduction vat is ready, the blue indigo powder will dissolve and the vat will turn a yellow-green color like dark olive oil. Ideally, there will also be a "flower" of purplish bubbles on top. At this point the vat is ready for dyeing.

Make sure your fiber is completely soaked through before dipping, otherwise the indigo may only penetrate the surface. Dip the fiber slowly into the vat, taking care not to splash it or introduce bubbles. Leave it for 5 to 15 minutes. You may want to move it around once or twice with tongs to make sure it dyes evenly.

3. Oxidize and Repeat

After a period of between 5 and 15 minutes in the vat, remove the fabric. Be careful not to splash it or let it drip too much on the surface of the vat. The fibers should have a greenish cast as they come out of the vat, but they should begin to turn blue very quickly. Hang the fabric up somewhere where dripping indigo will not cause any damage, and allow it to oxidize for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the color set--resist the temptation to dip it again as soon as it looks blue.

After the fabric has had time to oxidize, repeat the dipping process as many times as is necessary to achieve the desired depth of shade.

4. Rinse and Dry

After the desired depth of color is achieved, rinse the fabric in cool water to wash out any undissolved indigo particles. Let dry for a few hours so the fabric has completely oxidized. For final rinsing, rinse with a PH-neutral detergent like Synthrapol according to manufacturer's directions. Use plenty of detergent; it will not remove color that has already bonded to the fiber. After rinsing, squeeze gently to make sure water runs clear. Hang up to dry.