Red Sorghum Extract

Shepherd Textiles Red Sorghum Extract is produced from the stems and leaves of sorghum bicolor, a tall grass native to east Africa. Red Sorghum contains a pigment called apigeninidin that gives rusty brick red colors on natural fibers. Sorghum has been used in Africa for thousands of years to dye textiles, leather, and baskets, but it remains largely unknown elsewhere. However, it is a versatile dye that is strong and easy to apply, and it produces well-saturated ochre and terracotta shades.

Use at 5% weight-of-fabric on fiber mordanted with alum for rusty red shades. For a slightly deeper, more purplish red, use at 10% weight-of-fabric and adjust the pH of the dyebath up to 7.5 or 8. For detailed instructions and color recipes, check out our Guide to Dyeing with Red Sorghum Extract.

Product of France. Certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) for use on fabrics that will be labeled “organic.”