Natural Indigo as a Pigment
About indigo
Indigo can be natural or synthetic. Indigo, is a vat dye which means it is water-insoluble. Other plant dyes are extracted and then “fixed” to fabric, using metal salts known as mordants. Natural indigo undergoes a reduction process and does not require a mordant or fixative to “lock” to textile fibres.
A natural indigo vat needs:
When you first take fiber or cloth out of a healthy indigo vat it will appear greenish, and then turn blue when reacting with the oxygen in the air.
Fabric can be dipped several times giving a brighter colour.
Our natural indigo ink does not go through the reduction process.
When screen printing with natural indigo dye it’s normal for there to be some texture in your print and you can expect to achieve soft coloured but crisp prints directly on fabric.
Washable but should be hand washed with gentle or ph-neutral soap
Keep away from direct sunlight.
Best on white and light coloured fabrics.