Shikon root 100g is a natural plant dye for botanical dyeing.
Shikon is the dried root of plants in the borage family. Its dark reddish-purple roots contain pigments such as shikonin and have long been used as both a traditional medicinal material and a dye.
Shikon can produce reddish purple and deep purple shades. The color and depth vary greatly depending on the fiber, extraction method, mordant, and number of dyeing cycles.
During the Edo period, silk dyed with shikon was reportedly wrapped around the head in the hope of recovery from illness. Because extracting and repeatedly applying the dye required considerable labor, purple was also highly valued.
The color sample shown on this page was dyed with an alcohol-extracted dye bath.
We hope you will explore the rich reddish-purple colors created from shikon root.
▼ Shikon root prepared as a plant dye
▼ Color sample dyed with shikon root
The sample was dyed using an alcohol extract of shikon root. For additional color samples by fiber and mordant, see “Color Samples Dyed with Shikon Root”.
▼ Flowers of the shikon plant
These are flowers grown at the Hitotsuya（ひとつ屋） Dye Farm.
※Please refer to the color sample shown above.
※100g is a general amount for dyeing one large silk stole. The required amount and final color vary with the fiber, extraction method, and dyeing process.
※This product is sold solely as a dye material. Do not use it as food, medicine, cosmetics, or for any purpose other than dyeing.
Other Plant Dyes
Hitotsuya introduces many other plant dyes for botanical dyeing in addition to shikon root.
◆ About Hitotsuya Plant Dyes
The plant dyes offered by Hitotsuya include materials traditionally sold as herbal medicines, as well as plants grown at our Hitotsuya Dye Farm, where we cultivate plants used for dyeing and weaving.
We grow our plants with as little pesticide and chemical fertilizer as possible. Although we take great care, small insects may occasionally be mixed in. This does not affect their quality as dye materials, and we appreciate your understanding.
We hope these materials will support your safe and natural creative work.
Where to Buy Shikon Root 100g
Shikon root 100g is available at the Hitotsuya shop and from the following online stores.