This cotton bandana was botanically dyed with cochineal bugs here in our workshop. It has four overlock edges and is block printed by hand with skulls.
You might know cochineal bugs as the parasite that lives on prickly pear cacti. Their bodies create carmine, which is used in dyes for foods and cosmetics. Here, we’ve used the bugs to dye some unbleached cotton and it gave us a nice hot pink!
Natural dyes are sometimes called living colors because they evolve and patina over time in ways unique to the personality of each plant or insect. In the first washes, your garment may release some fugitive color, so wash separately from your whites.
Expect some variation with block printed items, as each image is printed by hand. During the first wash, the black ink will soften and a small amount of the pigment will wash out.
To keep your botanically dyed, block printed garments in the best condition, wash them inside out in cold water in a pH-neutral detergent (such as Woolite Delicates or Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear) and let them dry in the shad
This cotton bandana was botanically dyed with cochineal bugs here in our workshop. It has four overlock edges and is block printed by hand with skulls.
You might know cochineal bugs as the parasite that lives on prickly pear cacti. Their bodies create carmine, which is used in dyes for foods and cosmetics. Here, we’ve used the bugs to dye some unbleached cotton and it gave us a nice hot pink!
Natural dyes are sometimes called living colors because they evolve and patina over time in ways unique to the personality of each plant or insect. In the first washes, your garment may release some fugitive color, so wash separately from your whites.
Expect some variation with block printed items, as each image is printed by hand. During the first wash, the black ink will soften and a small amount of the pigment will wash out.
To keep your botanically dyed, block printed garments in the best condition, wash them inside out in cold water in a pH-neutral detergent (such as Woolite Delicates or Arm & Hammer Sensitive Skin Free & Clear) and let them dry in the shad
