Name Indigo
Scientific Name: Indigofera Tinctorum
Indigo comes from the leaves of a shrub-like plant which is native to the Indian sub-continent. Several species of indigo can be used to produce the dye, with indigofera tinctorum considered to produce the best colours. Unlike other natural dyes, which can be extracted by soaking in water, the process for using indigo dye is more complex, and generally involves the creation of a reduction vat. There are many ways to make these vats, using iron, henna, fruit sugars or fructose, and a strong alkali such as calcium hydroxide. These are probably the easiest for the home dyer, although fermentation vats are a viable alternative, especially for people living in warm and hot climates.
How indigo powder is produced:
Our indigo extract comes from India. It is our first product that we have listed that is not local to us here at themazi. So before listing a new product, we make sure that it is a good quality product by testing. You can see the results in the pictures.
Historical use of indigo:
Indigo is one of the earliest known dyestuffs. Discovered in Peru, the earliest evidence of its use as a dye for fabric dates from 6000 years ago. Indigo was known across several continents in ancient history, but it became a luxury product, especially in Europe, as time went on. Many European cultures used woad for blue colours until trade routes with India opened up in the 15th century, although some countries banned its import to protect the local woad producers. It was introduced to North America in the 18th century where it was cultivated by plantation slaves. Because of its importance in worldwide trade, indigo became known as ‘blue gold’. In more recent history, an indigo discharge print method was developed by William Morris for use in his famous motifs including the iconic ‘strawberry thief’ design.
How to dye with indigo powder:
Instructions coming soon. In the meantime, you can read Jenny Dean’s blog about Michel Garcia’s fructose vat for indigo here.
How do we ship your order?
We ship our products worldwide. Once you enter your address, you can see the shipping cost to your country. We ship with express delivery which means we use TNT, UPS, or DHL carriers.
Please keep in mind that the shipping cost is calculated on the basis of weight including packaging, so it may be beneficial to order more than one product at a time. You will pay the same shipping fee for 400g of products as for 100g.
Buying indigo powder in bulk:
We sell indigo powder in small quantities as shown on our website. Please be aware that we also sell bulk quantities wholesale. We consider every order over 50kg as wholesale and we offer discounted prices. To enquire about this, click here
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