Bio Certified Indigo Recipe

Clear a space to prepare your indigo vat, use old newspaper to protect your benches.

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Pour 500mls of boiling water into your bucket and add the soda ash. Stir to dissolve (this will not completely dissolve.​

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Add your Bio certified indigo dye and stir with the wooden spoon.

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Fill your bucket with 8 litres of warm water.

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Sprinkle on the Sodium Hydrolsulphite (it stinks) Gently stir to combine, avoid splashing as this introduces oxygen and is the enemy of indigo. 

 

The dye vat should have a slightly metallic surface (which acts as a lid to the vat) is now ready for your pre-soaked garment.

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Consider covering with an old towel to stop the odour and keep out the oxygen.

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Remove your garment from your soaking bucket making sure it is well saturated and ring out to remove excess water.  Check your resists are tight and (imagine anywhere your finger can get in your garment will be dyed) gently place into your vat.

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* DON'T FORGET TO USE YOUR BIODEGRADABLE GLOVES

 

Once the dyeing process is complete, rinse the garment under cold running water, once the water runs clear remove tie dye binding and rewash.

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Always use a dishwashing liquid to wash off the excess dye and not fade your indigo!

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Leave to dry in the shade. 

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TIPS & TRICKS

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+ Indigo is a spectacular dye that reacts with oxygen to make the wonderful blue dye we all love (most commonly seen on your favourite jeans). To reach the darkest colour you will need to leave the garment for 15 minutes, remove it to oxidise (turn from green to blue) and resubmerge for layers of colour until you are satisfied with the level of colour. Similar to paint that sits on the surface.​

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+ Keep your vat for future dyeing, share with your friends..  Indigo is eternal and will not run out of colour like other dyes.  Eventually, it will dry up and re-crystalise but it will last if you look after it and I hope you enjoy it as much as us!

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+ Soda Ash (also known as washing soda or sodium bicarbonate) is used to raise the PH of your vat.

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+ Sodium Hydrosulfate is used to make the indigo water-soluble.  Without it, the dye would wash straight off.  We advise saving a small amount to revive your vat if it turns a bit blue.

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+ Run 500ml of boiling water down the inside of the bucket if it isn't giving you a deep blue like your first attempts.