Our interest in quality and ambition extends to not only having our own flock of Drenthe heath sheep but starting our own dye studio using exclusively vegetable dyes.
We dye all our raw materials, the fibers, in our own dye studio, where we use only natural ingredients like flowers, roots, leaves, bolsters and nuts.
In photo 3, Claudy is dyeing with cochenille, a deep reddish-purple colour.
Madder (rubia). Origin: Europe Many different shades of red, traditional dye for wool. Both outer and inner layer are used for coloring.
Weld (reseda luteola). Origin: Mediterranean countries. Oldest yellow dye plant in the world, has been growing in Europe since the ice-age and is a reseda variety also seen in the Netherlands. Rembrandt also used the dye of this plant.
Indigo (indigofera tinctoria) made from various plants, the oldest one true indigo. Origin: India (called ‘indikon’ by the ancient Greek). A blue that draws you in, used by the Tuaregs to express wealth.
Cocchineal made of the cochineal insect (dactylopius coccus). Origin: pre-Hispanic Mexico. The deepest shades of red, used by the Indians to express their social status.
Walnut (juglans nigra). Origin: Kashmir, Nepal, Greece a.o. Shades of brown. Made both from the inside and outside of the nut.
