Italian Clay – 16-1422 TCX

Dye: Madder (strong) + Cutch

Color: Warm terracotta brown

Color Fastness: Long-lasting depth, high fastness on cotton, silk, wool with mordants

A. Cotton Dyeing Procedure (Italian Clay)

Step 1: Mordanting

• Material: 100 g cotton
• Mordant: Alum 8% owf (8 g) + Tannin 4% owf (4 g)
• Water: 2 L (M:L 1:20)
• pH: Neutral (~6-7)
• Temperature: 55°C
• Time: 45 minutes

Process:

1. Mordant cotton in alum and tannin bath at 55°C for 45 minutes.
2. Remove fabric, rinse lightly.

Reason: Alum fixes color; tannin improves mordanting on cellulose fibers for better madder uptake and durability.

Step 2: Madder Dyeing

• Dye: Madder root powder 15% owf (15 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 85°C (simmer)
• Time: 60 minutes
• pH: Slightly acidic (~5.5-6)

Process:

1. Simmer madder root in water 45 min to extract red-orange dyes.
2. Strain bath, cool to 80-85°C.
3. Dye mordanted cotton for 60 min.
4. Remove fabric, rinse.

Step 3: Cutch Overdyeing

• Dye: Cutch powder 10% owf (10 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 80°C
• Time: 45 minutes

Process:

1. Prepare cutch bath by simmering powder 45 min.
2. Dye madder-colored cotton at 80°C for 45 min to deepen brownish-red terracotta tone.
3. Rinse cold, dry in shade.

B. Silk Dyeing Procedure (Italian Clay)

Step 1: Mordanting

• Material: 100 g silk
• Mordant: Alum 6% owf (6 g) + Tannin 2% owf (2 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 50°C
• Time: 30 minutes

Process:

1. Mordant silk in alum + tannin bath 30 min, 50°C.
2. Rinse lightly.

Step 2: Madder Dyeing

• Dye: Madder root powder 12% owf (12 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 70°C
• Time: 45-60 minutes

Step 3: Cutch Overdyeing

• Same as cotton but dye at 75°C for 40 min.

C. Wool Dyeing Procedure (Italian Clay)

Step 1: Mordanting

• Material: 100 g wool
• Mordant: Alum 6% owf (6 g) + Tannin 2% owf (2 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 50°C
• Time: 30 minutes

Step 2: Madder Dyeing

• Dye: Madder 12% owf (12 g)
• Water: 2 L
• Temperature: 65°C
• Time: 60 minutes

Step 3: Cutch Overdyeing

• Dye at 70°C for 45 min.

Explanation & Reasoning:

• Madder root delivers red-orange hues that are bright but can fade without proper mordant.
• Tannin mordanting improves dye bonding on cotton (cellulose fiber) and intensifies color depth on protein fibers.
• Cutch adds brown tannins that mellow madder red into warm terracotta/brown.
• Sequential dyeing with cutch deepens and stabilizes color.
• Temperatures and times optimized to avoid fiber damage while ensuring deep penetration.