Natural Dyeing using Tocte, the Andean walnut

​Toctes have been around the Ecuadorian gastronomy for a long time. We use its nut to make delicious pastries, but what Ecuadorians don't know is that you can use Toctes to dye fibers. Our grandmothers knew this but along the way the knowledge got lost. Some people with walnut trees have chosen to donate us their toctes so we  can dye wool with them.  For some neighbors of Quito are a nuisance but for us they are gold.
We want to share with you some of the photos that we recorded of this dyeing process.

The walnuts falls from the tree covered with a peel and it is necessary to take it out and collect it to start the dyeing process. The nut inside can be dried and stored for later consumption.​

The pulp of the Tocte is stored in a closed container and allowed to ferment. This is one of the possible dyeing methods that although it does not smell very well, is very effective.

After several processes, washes and boils we see that the wool already takes on the brown color that we expected. 

Here you can see the application of the dye in the fabrics that will soon be a new product of Suspiro.

Would you like to have a product made with natural dyes?
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