Crimson Dyeing — The Color of Pau-Brasil

Brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata) is THREATENED with extinction — only ~10,000 adult trees remain in the Atlantic Forest. Collection is prohibited by Brazilian law and by CITES. ALWAYS use sappan wood (Biancaea sappan), which contains the same brazilin and is not threatened.

Use sappan wood chips or powder (Biancaea sappan) in the proportion of 25-50% of the fiber weight. For 100g of fiber, use 25-50g of chips.

Place the sappan shavings in 4-5 liters of water in a stainless steel pot. Heat over low heat until gentle boiling and maintain for 1-2 hours. The liquid will become intense reddish-brown.

Turn off the heat and let the chips soak overnight (or up to 2-3 days for maximum extraction). The brazilin continues to dissolve slowly in water.

Strain the liquid through fine cloth, removing all wood chips. Set aside the chips — they can be reused for a second, lighter bath.

Wash the fiber in hot water with neutral soap to remove impurities. Rinse well.

For wool/silk: dissolve 12-15g of alum in 4 liters of hot water. For cotton/linen: first treat with tannin (8% of weight), then mordant with alum (15% of weight) and a little sodium carbonate.

Immerse the wet fiber in the mordant bath. Heat to a gentle boil (80-90°C) for 1 hour, stirring gently. Let cool in the bath.

Place the mordanted fiber (damp, unrinsed) in the strained sappan bath. Heat gently — DO NOT boil. Maintain at 70-80°C for 1-2 hours, stirring regularly.

Turn off the heat and leave the fiber in the sappan bath overnight. Brazilin needs time to fully fix to the fibers.

Para carmesim puro: retire e enxágue. Para tons púrpura-escuro: mergulhe brevemente em água com ferro (pregos velhos em vinagre por 1 semana). Para vermelho mais vibrante: banho com um pouco de creme de tártaro.

Rinse the fiber in cold water until the water runs relatively clear. Dry in the shade. Note: the light fastness of brazilin is moderate — it improves with proper mordant, but avoid prolonged sun exposure.

The result should be crimson to bright red (with alum), dark purple (with iron), or pink (diluted). This is the same color that drove Brazil's colonial economy and named the country. Using sappan, we honor the tradition without threatening the species.