Black Walnut Hull Powder

Name: Black walnut hull (husk) powder

Scientific Name: Juglans Nigra

Black walnut hulls are high in tannins and can be used as a natural dye to produce a range of brown tones.  Our walnut hulls are collected in the Mesopotamia region of Turkey and are dried in the shade to ensure the color content of the walnut hulls is not lost.  After drying them we powder them carefully so they are ready for you to use. 

How walnut hull powder is produced:

All our walnuts are grown by producers nearby.  They are harvested in September and the walnuts are sold for food use.  The hulls, a by-product, are dried naturally and then powdered in our own machines here at themazi.

Historical use of walnut hull dye: 

Walnut hull dye was used in Europe in Viking, Roman and medieval times as a dye for fabric and hair.  Inks made from the dye are thought to have been used by Leonardo da Vinci and Rembrandt. 

How to dye with walnut hull powder:

Walnuts are high in tannin so can be used without a mordant, but for darker browns, a mordant and the use of iron as a modifier can be useful. 

Ensure your fiber/fabric has been properly scoured and mordanted before use.

Use 50g walnut hull powder to dye approximately 100g of fiber. The more walnut hull powder you use, the darker the color you will be able to achieve.  Walnut hull powder is suitable for cold, hot and all-in-one dyebath techniques.