Aluminium Lactate is an aluminium-based mordant used to prepare fibres and fabrics for dyeing with natural and botanical dyes. Particularly effective on cotton, linen, hemp and other cellulose fibres, it helps natural dyes bond more effectively with the fibre, improving colour uptake and helping to produce clear, bright and vibrant colours.

Aluminium Lactate is becoming increasingly popular with natural dyers as a more environmentally considerate alternative to some conventional aluminium mordants, including Alum Sulphate, Potassium Aluminium Sulphate (traditional Alum) and Aluminium Acetate.

It is particularly useful for cellulose fibres, which can be more difficult to mordant effectively than protein fibres such as wool and silk.

Key Features

• Aluminium-based mordant for natural and botanical dyes
• Particularly suitable for cotton, linen, hemp and other cellulose fibres
• Helps improve natural dye uptake and fixation
• Helps produce clear, bright and vibrant colours
• A more environmentally considerate alternative to some conventional aluminium mordants
• Alternative to Alum Sulphate, Potassium Aluminium Sulphate and Aluminium Acetate for suitable dyeing applications
• Particularly useful for cellulose and plant-based fibres
• Effective at relatively low WOF percentages
• Can be used as a single-step mordant on cellulose fibres
• May reduce the need for multiple mordanting and rinsing stages
• Can also be combined with a tannin pre-treatment where desired
• Suitable for natural dyeing, botanical dyeing and eco printing
• Useful for both beginners and experienced natural dyers

Why Use Aluminium Lactate?

Mordants help form a link between natural colourants and textile fibres, improving the ability of many natural dyes to attach to the fibre.

Traditional aluminium mordants such as Alum Sulphate and Potassium Aluminium Sulphate (traditional Alum) are widely used in natural dyeing, particularly for wool and silk. Cellulose fibres such as cotton, linen and hemp, however, can be more difficult to mordant effectively and may require additional preparation when using conventional Alum.

Aluminium Lactate provides an excellent alternative for cellulose fibres. It can be used directly on properly scoured cellulose fibres without necessarily requiring the separate tannin pre-treatment commonly used with traditional Alum mordanting methods.

A tannin treatment can still be used before Aluminium Lactate if desired and may influence colour depth, shade and fixation.

A More Environmentally Considerate Mordant Option

Aluminium Lactate is of particular interest to natural and botanical dyers looking for a more environmentally considerate mordanting option.

The lactate component can be produced from lactic acid derived through fermentation of renewable raw materials, providing an interesting alternative to mordants such as Alum Sulphate, Potassium Aluminium Sulphate and Aluminium Acetate.

Aluminium Lactate is also effective at relatively low concentrations and can be used directly on cellulose fibres. Compared with traditional processes that may require separate tannin and Alum treatments, this can potentially mean fewer processing stages, fewer rinses and reduced water use.

These characteristics make Aluminium Lactate particularly appealing to natural dyers, botanical dyers and eco printers looking to consider the environmental impact of their dyeing and mordanting processes.

Recommended Amount – 5–10% WOF

For most natural dyeing applications on cellulose fibres, we recommend starting with:

5–10% Aluminium Lactate WOF (Weight of Fibre)

For a straightforward general-purpose mordant, 10% WOF is a good starting point.

As a guide:

• 100g dry fibre: use 5–10g Aluminium Lactate
• 500g dry fibre: use 25–50g Aluminium Lactate
• 1kg dry fibre: use 50–100g Aluminium Lactate

WOF = Weight of Fibre. For example, 10% WOF means using 10g of Aluminium Lactate for every 100g of dry fibre.

The optimum amount can vary according to the fibre, natural dye and dyeing method, so small test samples are always recommended when developing a new recipe.

Basic Mordanting Method for Cellulose Fibres

1. Scour the fibre

Thoroughly scour cotton, linen, hemp or other cellulose fibres before mordanting. Good scouring removes oils, waxes and manufacturing residues that may interfere with even mordant and dye uptake.

2. Weigh the dry fibre

Calculate the required amount of Aluminium Lactate according to the dry weight of the fabric or fibre. For a general starting recipe, use approximately 10% WOF.

3. Dissolve the Aluminium Lactate

Dissolve the required Aluminium Lactate thoroughly in warm water before adding it to the mordant bath.

4. Add the fibre

Pre-wet the scoured fibre and place it into the mordant bath, ensuring there is sufficient water for the material to move freely.

Allow the fibre to remain in the mordant bath for approximately 1½–2 hours, moving it periodically to encourage even treatment.

5. Rinse and dye

Remove the fibre, rinse and proceed with your chosen natural or botanical dye.

Optional Tannin Pre-Treatment

One of the advantages of Aluminium Lactate is that it can be used directly on cellulose fibres, providing a convenient alternative to traditional Alum Sulphate or Potassium Aluminium Sulphate mordanting processes.

For dyers wishing to use a tannin-and-aluminium mordanting system, the scoured fibre can first be treated with a suitable tannin such as Tara or Gallnut, followed by the Aluminium Lactate mordant bath.

A useful starting point for experimentation is:

10% WOF tannin followed by 5–10% WOF Aluminium Lactate.

Tannin pre-treatment is optional when using Aluminium Lactate, and results will vary depending on the fibre, tannin and natural dye selected.

Ideal For

• Cotton
• Linen
• Hemp
• Flax
• Other cellulose and plant-based fibres
• Natural dyeing
• Botanical dyeing
• Eco printing
• Textile art
• Natural dye workshops
• Experimental and sample dyeing

Aluminium Lactate vs Traditional Alums

Traditional aluminium mordants including Alum Sulphate and Potassium Aluminium Sulphate are widely used in natural dyeing. Potassium Aluminium Sulphate is particularly well established as a general-purpose mordant for wool and silk.

For cotton, linen, hemp and other cellulose fibres, Aluminium Lactate offers an alternative that can simplify the mordanting process and provide good natural dye uptake without necessarily requiring a separate tannin stage.

This makes Aluminium Lactate particularly useful for natural dyers who regularly work with linen, cotton and other plant fibres, or who are looking for an alternative to Alum Sulphate, Potassium Aluminium Sulphate or Aluminium Acetate.

Please Note

Natural dyeing involves many variables. Fibre type, scouring, mordant concentration, tannins, dye material, water quality, pH, temperature and dyeing time can all affect the final colour.

We recommend keeping notes of mordant percentages and dyeing recipes and carrying out a small test before treating a large or valuable piece of fabric.

For dyeing and textile use only. Do not ingest. Avoid breathing powder or dust and avoid contact with eyes. Use appropriate protective equipment when handling powdered mordants.