Indigo Dye

Natural indigo is the only dye that bonds naturally with cotton fibre, so it does not need mordanting. It is also the only dye that is done in a cold process and not in a hot bath. The traditional South Indian method of indigo dyeing involves fermenting the dye bath with a mixture of lime and the seeds of Cassia Tora, a complex process which takes several days. The yarn or fabric to be dyed is dipped into the fermented vats several times and allowed to oxidize between dips.A variety of plant-based products go into the dyeing of Malkha yarn: Indigofera Tinctoria for indigo, Acacia Catechu for brown, Terminalia Chebula (harda) and Punica Granatum (pomegranate rind) for yellow, and Onosma Echioides (kasimi) for grey. Red, made of non-toxic alizarin, a by-product of coal tar, is the only Malkha dye not of vegetable origin.