This premium natural indigo liquid dye paste is ideal for beginners and seasoned dyers alike for its ease of use. The indigo is extracted from Indigofera suffruticosa (legume plant) grown sustainably in the USA. It is milled and sifted into a fine powder and suspended in liquid to form a paste. The paste eliminates waste and inhalation of flying blue indigo particles! This finely milled indigo in liquid paste reduces more easily and dyes more efficiently as there are less unreacted indigo left in the vat.

Recipe by Michel Garcia: Prepare the vat the day before you start dyeing.

In a 5-gallon bucket of very warm water (70C/160F), please avoid getting scalded, add 300g indigo paste, 400g pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) made into a soft paste, and 600g fructose (it will dissolve easily). Stir the vat well, scraping the bottom of the vat for 3 minutes. Wait 3 minutes, and repeat this stirring two more times to thoroughly activate indigo reduction in the vat. Let the vat sit at room temperature or warmer overnight. The vat will be robust and ready for use the next day. After each dye session, add a tablespoon of lime, stir the vat thoroughly, and let it rest. 

To maintain the indigo, float a well-fitted styrofoam or foam lid on the vat’s surface (see the image). This seals the indigo vat from the air (oxidation). Maintain a steady temperature: room temperature or warmer. This natural indigo dye vat is completely safe for use in your home.