Onion skins extract

Onion skin extract (Latin: Allium cepa) stands out as one of the most brilliant and effortlessly accessible natural dyes, offering a perfect balance between brilliance and simplicity. With this extract, you can achieve vibrant golden, yellow, greenish, and orange shades. The beauty lies not only in the vivid hues but also in how easy it is to work with. Whether you're a seasoned dyer or trying it out for the first time, onion skin extract provides a wonderful experience, making it a practical choice for those looking for warm earthy shades.

Name: onion skin extract

Latin name: Allium cepa

Type: mordant dye, no-mordant dye

Part of the plant used: onion skins

Main colors: warm shades from yellow to brown

Other colors: gold, orange, rust, olive, grey, beige

Purpose: a versatile natural dye suitable for textiles, leather, wood, candles, and other natural materials. Ideal for creating botanical inks, pastels, watercolors, printing paste, and more. Additionally, it holds cultural significance in many countries where it's a tradition to use onion skins for dyeing Easter eggs.

Dyeing with onion skin extract:

• A small amount of extract can dye a lot - use 5-10 % WOF

• Dissolve the powder in a small amount of warm water and add to your dye pot.

• Mordanted fibers should be soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before adding to the dye solution.

• Immerse fibers in the onion skin solution and simmer for 30-60 minutes, depending on the desired shade. Longer simmering will produce darker, deeper shades. Allow the solution to cool.

• To achieve a diverse color palette, consider adjusting the pH. Common agents include citric acid, soda ash, or chalk.

• To further expand your color range, experiment with additional mordants like iron sulfate which will produce darker green, brown or nearly black shades.

Information about natural dye extracts:

First and foremost, a small amount of extract goes a long way. Colorants are extracted from dyestuff in an eco-friendly manner that conserves space while retaining all dyeing properties. With the extract, you need 5 to 10 times less than the original dye. For example, 10 grams of madder extract can stand in for 100 grams of dried madder roots. This not only saves on storage but also reduces shipping costs. Moreover, extracts are quicker and simpler to prepare, making them ideal for beginners or those looking for quicker results. Additionally, for those bursts of inspiration where time is of the essence, having extracts ready is a game-changer, eliminating the lengthy wait of traditional dye solution preparation.