Greener Mordants for Natural Coloration

Calls for the use of natural colorants on textiles has been just one of the consequences of increased environmental awareness. However, these demands are often misguided because, whereas the dyes themselves are harmless, the necessary fixatives can be very pollutive. Gill Dalby has focussed her attention on this problem. Here she offers some recipes for ‘cleaner’ mordants which she says also improve light and wash fastness as well