Tambayan ng Kaalaman Tungkol sa Pilipinas
Dye from Narra
Red dye for wood is produced from narra tree. It does not soluble in water but dissolves in
alkali solution such as aluminum hydroxide, alum, wood dust.
The best mordant are metallic mordants — chromium and copper hydroxide; fader with soap.
Narra mordant are used for dyeing wood. Its alcoholic tincture produces dark red color dye in
wood.
Source:Tekno Tulong
Bonato Dye
(Dark Orange)
Kamala
Substance is taken from the outer seed of bonato which is used as dye.
Use mordant as follows:
4 parts ______ (kamala)
1 part alum
2 parts sodium carbonate (native vanilla)
Rub with small amount of sesame oil
For silk, add:
½-1 part sodium carbonate in boiling water. Soak the silk cloth and dye in boiling water for
2-5 minutes.
Source:tekno tulong
Dye from Bangkoro
(Red, Light Violet and Chocolate)
The substance where the dye from bangkoro is taken comes from the bark of its roots –
abundant in its third to fourth year of age. No more dyes could be taken when the aged
beyond four years.
The thin roots are the ones useful. When it grows to about half inch, it becomes useless.
The root bark is the source of red dye, the woody part – yellow dye, so that when the root bark
gets woody, the dye is reddish yellow.
Mordants:
red and rose — aluminum
chocolate brown — chromium (acc. to strength of mordant)
light violet to black – iron
source:tekno tulong
Red Dye from Annato (Achuete)
For cotton:
1. Soak the annato seeds in boiling solution of carbonate soda.
2. Soak the cloth to be dyed for 15 minutes.
3. Squeeze the cloth, rinse in water with alum.
For silk:
1. Dissolve equal amounts of annato and sodium carbonate.
2. Soap may be added.
3. Soak for one hour (according to desired color) in 50° C heat.
4. The resulting color may be made yellowish if the cloth is rinsed with small amount of tartaric
acid.
For wool:
1. Wool is dyed in annato at 80° C-100° C without any additives.
National Dyes of the Philippines
by William H. Brown