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Activities / Etikoppaka Toys / Etikoppaka Natural Colour Swatches

Etikoppaka Natural Colour Swatches

Etikoppaka-Inspired Natural Colours: Kitchen Dye Swatches on Cotton

Level
Beginner
Duration
1 - 2 hours (plus drying)
Budget
₹20 – ₹409
Age
10+
State
Andhra Pradesh

Materials

  • White cotton fabric, 1 metre (or use an old white cotton shirt or pillowcase)
  • Alum powder (phitkari)
  • Turmeric powder
  • Onion skins (yellow or red)
  • Red cabbage leaves
  • Black tea bags
  • Old pans (4), strainer and a spoon
  • Thick card, glue and a pen
  • Apron and gloves

Steps

  1. Understand the plan and protect yourself
    Etikoppaka toys are coloured with lac and dyes made from plants. You will see how plant colours behave by dyeing five small cotton squares with kitchen scraps. An adult must do the simmering, because hot water scalds. Put on an apron and gloves, cover the counter with newspaper, and use old pans, because turmeric and beetroot stain. Keep the dyes away from your mouth.
    Tip: Use a pan you will never cook food in again. Turmeric stains can last for years.
  2. Cut five 8 cm cotton squares and wash them
    Cut five squares, 8 cm by 8 cm, from an old white cotton shirt, pillowcase or plain muslin. Check that the label or feel says cotton, because polyester will not take the dye. Wash the squares in warm water with a drop of soap, rinse, and squeeze them damp. Washing removes starch and oil, which block the dye. Common mistake: dyeing new fabric straight from the shop.
  3. Soak four squares in an alum bath so the colour sticks
    Dissolve 1 teaspoon of alum powder (phitkari) in 500 ml of hot water in a bowl. Add four squares and leave them for 30 minutes, pushing them under now and then. Keep the fifth square out as a plain control. Alum is a safe mordant that helps natural dyes grip cotton, since without it colours come out pale and fade fast. Rinse the squares lightly afterwards.
    Tip: No alum? Skip it, and expect softer, paler colours.
  4. Make four dye baths in four pans
    With an adult, put 300 ml of water in each of four pans. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric to the first, a big handful of onion skins (about 15 g) to the second, two handfuls of chopped red cabbage to the third and 2 tea bags to the fourth. Bring each to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes. The water will turn deep yellow, orange-brown, purple and brown.
    Tip: Label each pan with masking tape so you do not forget which is which.
  5. Strain the dye and add one square to each bath
    Pour each dye through a strainer into a clean pan or bowl to remove skins, leaves and powder. Put one damp, alum-soaked square into each bath. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, then switch off the heat. Common mistake: leaving specks of turmeric or tea in the dye, which leave dark spots on the cloth.
  6. Leave the squares to soak for at least 30 minutes
    Let the squares sit in the cooling dye for 30 to 60 minutes. For deeper colour, leave them overnight in the fridge. Dip the plain control square in plain water for the same time so you can compare. Natural colours look darker when wet and lighter when dry, so be patient.
  7. Rinse the squares and hang them to dry in shade
    With gloves on, lift each square out, rinse it in cool water until the water runs almost clear, and squeeze gently. Hang the squares on a line with a clothes peg, or lay them on a plate, in a shady spot. They will take 1 to 2 hours to dry. Do not dry them in strong sun, which fades natural dyes quickly.
    Tip: Rinse each colour separately so the colours do not mix.
  8. Mount the swatches on a card and label them
    Cut a strip of thick card about 8 cm by 45 cm. Glue the five squares in a row, leaving a 1 cm gap. Under each, write the dye source and the date with a pen. Cover the left half of each square with a strip of black paper so that half stays dark.
  9. Test for fading after one week
    Put the card on a sunny windowsill for 7 days, then remove the black paper strips. Compare the covered half with the exposed half. Most natural dyes fade a little in light, and some change colour, for example cabbage often turns from purple towards grey-blue. Craftspeople use mordants, repeated dyeing and lac to make plant colours last, which is why Etikoppaka toys keep their glow.

Sustainability

High - uses kitchen scraps such as onion skins and turmeric. Inspired-by exercise: Etikoppaka toys are coloured with lac and plant dyes on a lathe, not with fabric swatches

Safety

Hot liquids can scald, so an adult should do the simmering; turmeric and beetroot stain hands, clothes and counters; wear an apron; keep dyes away from the mouth