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Carob, that remarkable and large pod hanging on trees is superfood packed with antioxidants. John the baptist knew this, now I do too. And as I had gathered carob to produce a powder from, I found out I could use carob pods as a dye too, plus, it contains tannin.

Go to this page to have the correct step-by-step process

I broke the pods into pieces before I put them in the dye pot. The photo above shows the part I used for grinding powder. They simmered for half an hour to an hour before I took the broken pieces of pods out of the dye pot. With the colored water left I placed the fabric in it and had it simmering for another half an hour to an hour. The fabric was left overnight in the dye bath.

The effect on a hemp/cotton and a pure cotton piece of fabric became brown/redish with a hint of resembling that of a salmon. Or, as my husband said: ‘A color like the cinnamon coated marzipan balls.’

I picked the pods in March. I had a small bucket of pods and 60 gram scoured cotton. I picked pods in June as well, to make a powder of it, which I add in granola.

Pouch Riogordo is dyed with carob pods.

Small zipper pouch Small as catpaw € 20

Slip-in pouch Dipped in paint catpaw € 30


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