Shepherd Textiles Gardenia Blue natural dye is made from the seeds of the cape jasmine, gardenia jasminoides. Gardenia seeds were used for centuries as a yellow dye in East Asia, and in the 1980s Japanese scientists discovered that they would also produce a blue pigment when reacted with an amino acid. Gardenia blue is now used extensively in Japan, Korea, and China as a colorant, and it makes an effective textile dye on wool and silk. Although not as lightfast as indigo, it produces similar hues without requiring a reduction vat. Use at 5-10% weight-of-fabric for medium blues, with or without a mordant. Before using, check out our Guide to Dyeing with Gardenia Blue for background, safety information, and color recipes.
Shepherd Textiles Gardenia Blue natural dye is made from the seeds of the cape jasmine, gardenia jasminoides. Gardenia seeds were used for centuries as a yellow dye in East Asia, and in the 1980s Japanese scientists discovered that they would also produce a blue pigment when reacted with an amino acid. Gardenia blue is now used extensively in Japan, Korea, and China as a colorant, and it makes an effective textile dye on wool and silk. Although not as lightfast as indigo, it produces similar hues without requiring a reduction vat. Use at 5-10% weight-of-fabric for medium blues, with or without a mordant. Before using, check out our Guide to Dyeing with Gardenia Blue for background, safety information, and color recipes.
