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Use Cochineal Extract

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Wild Colours natural dyes > natural dye extracts > using cochineal extract

Dyeing with Cochineal Dye Extract

  1. Buy cochineal extract

    BFL superwash wool dyed with cochineal natural dye extract

    wool dyed with cochineal extract

    BFL superwash wool dyed with cochineal extract and overdyed with indigo

    wool dyed with cochineal extract & overdyed with indigo

    wool dyed with strong cochineal extract & overdyed with fustic extract | Wild Colours natural dyes

    wool dyed with strong cochineal extract & overdyed with fustic extract

    wool dyed with medium cochineal extract & overdyed with fustic extract | Wild Colours natural dyes

    wool dyed with medium cochineal extract & overdyed with fustic extract

    What is Cochineal?
     
  2. What colours does Cochineal extract produce?
     
  3. How do I use Cochineal extract?
     
  4. How much wool does the Cochineal extract dye?
     
  5. What is Cochineal extract?

1) What is Cochineal?
This extract comes from a female scale insect (Dactylopius coccus) that lives on prickly pear cactus plants and it is manufactured in Peru. Cochineal is a very strong extract and its main component is carminic acid.

2) What colours does Cochineal extract produce?
Cochineal produces a range of scarlet, pink and other red hues. Cochineal over dyed with madder will give you a good red, whilst cochineal over dyed with indigo will give you a fantastic range of light-fast violets and purples.

3) How do I use Cochineal extract?
Wash and mordant the wool (follow Scouring the wool and Mordanting with alum for details).

Make a paste with 1 teaspoon (5 grams) cochineal extract and a small amount of warm water. Fill a saucepan with water and add the cochineal extract paste.

Add the pre-wetted mordanted fibre. Bring the dye bath to a gentle simmer and then keep at that temperature for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently from time to time. Leave overnight to cool.

4) How much wool does Cochineal extract dye?
Cochineal extract is very strong and you only need 5 grams to dye three 100 gram hanks of Blue-faced Leicester superwash wool to a scarlet, pink and light pink respectively, depending on water quality and other factors. We suggest you experiment as dye colours will vary with the type of fibre, the mordant and the quality of water.

It is best to start with only 2 grams of cochineal extract per 100g of mordanted wool. If you want a darker shade, then you need to mordant the wool again and make a second dye bath with another 2 grams of extract. Dyeing twice is recommended instead of using a more concentrated bath.

5) What is Cochineal extract?
Our cochineal extract is shipped as a deep crimson crystalline powder that is very stable and of high colour fastness.
 

Learn more about dyeing with natural dye extracts:

acacia extract

brazilwood extract

buckthorn extract

chlorophyllin extract

cochineal extract

coreopsis extract

cutch extract

fustic extract

gallnut extract

goldenrod extract

greenweed extract

lac extract

logwood extract

madder extract

myrobalan extract

persian berry extract

quebracho extract

sorghum extract

weld extract

 

ALL natural dye extracts


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Wild Colours natural dyes, Studio 319, Scott House, The Custard Factory, Gibb St, Birmingham B9 4DT, UK

 
Contact Teresinha for enquiries
Tel:    +44 (0)7979 770865
email: info@wildcolours.co.uk

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Updated on 04 January 2024
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