Cutch Dye

Description

Cutch Dye is a rich natural dye extracted from the heartwood of the Acacia catechu tree (Senegalia catechu), native to India and Southeast Asia. It produces warm, earthy browns ranging from golden tans and cinnamon to deep reddish browns and burnt umber tones. Cutch is known for its excellent lightfastness, high tannin content, and affinity for natural fibers, making it ideal for both dyeing and eco printing. Its tannins also helped protect cloth from rot, and cutch was long used to preserve sails and fishing nets.

Recommended Use

Use at 10 to 15% WOF for medium to deep shades. Dissolve in hot water and simmer gently before adding to the dye bath. It yields rich, layered color on its own, or it can be modified with iron for dark browns and near black, or with soda ash for redder tones. Especially well suited to cotton, linen, silk, and wool, and often used in traditional block printing and textile art.

Historical Significance

Used across South Asia for centuries, cutch was both a dye and a traditional medicine, and it is still chewed today as kattha in paan. It was valued for its deep hues and its astringent, antibacterial tannins. In colonial trade it was exported in solid blocks for dyeing and tanning. Cutch became a staple of traditional dye houses for lasting, complex browns and was often used as a base color in multi step dyeing.

Dye Details

Name: Catechu extract from Acacia catechu
Origin: India
Dye Type: Tannin rich botanical extract
Recommended Fibers: Cotton, linen, silk, wool, and plant based blends
Lightfastness: Excellent on all fibers
Mordants & Modifiers:
Alum: warm golden brown to caramel
Iron (2%): deep walnut brown to charcoal
Soda Ash: reddish browns and mahogany
Copper: deeper, cooler browns
Cream of Tartar: softens color, especially on silk

Packaging

Available in resealable, eco friendly kraft pouches. Includes full instructions for dyeing, mordanting, and color modification.

Health and Safety

• For art use only. Not for cosmetic, food or children's use.
• Keep out of reach of children and pets. Do not eat, drink or smoke while working.
• Avoid creating or breathing dust. Work in a ventilated area and wear a NIOSH approved dust respirator (N95 or better) when handling dry pigment.
• Wear gloves and eye protection. Wash hands and work surfaces after use, and never rinse pigment into drains.
• Do not spray apply, sand or burn.
• If swallowed or if you feel unwell, contact a poison control center (U.S. 1-800-222-1222) or a doctor.
• Safety Data Sheet available on request.