Crimson Dyeing — The Color of Pau-Brasil

Pau-brasil (Paubrasilia echinata) is AMEAED__ to extinction — only ~10,000 adult trees remain in the Atlantic Forest. Collection is prohibited by Brazilian law and by CITES. Use SEMPRE sappan wood (Biancaea sappan), which contains the same brazilin and is not threatened.

Use wood chips or sappan wood 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 chips in 4-5 liters of water in a stainless steel pot. Heat on low heat until gentle boiling and maintain for 1-2 hours. The liquid will turn 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 the water.

Strain the liquid through fine cloth, removing all wood chips. Reserve 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 until gentle boiling (80-90°C) for 1 hour, stirring gently. Let cool in the bath.

Place the mordanted fiber (damp, without rinsing) 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. The brazilin needs time to fully fix in the fibers.

For pure crimson: remove and rinse. For dark purple tones: briefly immerse in water with iron (old nails in vinegar for 1 week). For more vibrant red: bath with a little cream of tartar.

Rinse the fiber in cold water until the water runs relatively clear. Dry in the shade. Note: the light fastness of brazilin is moderate — improves with proper mordanting, 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 that named the country. Using sappan, we honor the tradition without threatening the species.