English Name: Catechu, Cutch
Botanical Name: Acacia Catechu
Colouring Component: Gallotannic Acid
GOTS certified
Acacia Catechu is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to 15 m (50 ft) in height. The plant is called khair in Hindi and kachu in Malay, hence the name was Latinized to “catechu” in Linnaean taxonomy, Other common names include kher, catechu, cachou, cutchtree, black cutch, and black catechu.
Catechu gives beautiful reddish brown colours depending on the mordants used. Our catechu gives a wonderful, rich cinnamon brown with an alum mordant The color shifts to a deep chocolate brown with the addition of iron.
Dyeing process :-
It is an excellent choice for cellulose fibres, because it is tannic enough to pre-treat them or to use as a dye on its own. For intense browns on cotton, pre-treat with catechu, then mordant with alum at 10% WoF for 30mins at 80c, and then dye in a second catechu bath.
For medium shades use catetchu at 10% WoF and dye the fibre for 1 hour at 100C.
Then wash with non-ionic soap.
Guide:
50 grams of Catechu extract is enough for 500grams Weight of Fabric for a medium shade.