Marigold has been used as a dye plant for centuries. It's cheery petals produce anything from deep mustards to buttery pastels, or gorgeous olive greens when used with iron.
I grew these marigolds in my organic backyard garden right here in Toronto, Ontario. They were raised from seed for me at a certified organic farm just outside of town.
The 10g of dehydrated flower petals come in a recycled paper envelope. I'll also include basic dyeing instructions to get you started! 10g will dye 500g of fibre a light-medium shade or 100g a dark shade;
For maximum colourfastness, use marigold with a mordant such as alum or iron. Simmer for 2-3 hours in water before adding fibre to fully extract pigment.
As with most natural dyes, the colours will be stronger on protein fibres such as wool or silk. Marigold on cellulose fibres like cotton and linen tend to be paler and more subdued. Synthetic fibres tend not to take up natural dyes.
