How Much Bark Do You Need for Your Project?
The number one question from first-time buyers is simple: how much should I order? And the honest answer is that it depends on a few things — what you're dyeing, how deep you want the color, and which bark form you're working with. But none of this is guesswork. Natural dyers have been using weight-of-fiber ratios for centuries, and MHRB follows the same logic.
Start with the Ratio
Everything in natural dyeing gets measured against the dry weight of whatever you're dyeing — that's called "weight of fiber," or WOF. Around 50% WOF (50g of bark per 100g of fiber) gets you soft lavender and blush. 75% WOF is the workhorse ratio — a solid, recognizable purple. 100% WOF and above pushes into deep burgundy and plum.
Your Fiber Changes Everything
Protein fibers (wool, silk) are the easy wins — they have a natural affinity for tannin-based dyes. Cotton and linen need a tannin pre-treatment and aluminum acetate rather than aluminum sulfate. Hemp works the same as linen. Leather bonds with tannins naturally. Synthetics won't hold botanical dye in any meaningful way.
Which Bark Form
Powder extracts in 20–30 minutes — best for soap making and quick baths. Shredded releases steadily over 1–2 hours and is the most forgiving form for fabric dyeing. Chips take 2–3 hours and suit large-vat work and leather tanning. The amount of bark stays roughly the same regardless of form.
Mordanting — and Whether You Actually Need It
MHRB contains tannins that contribute color and can assist dye uptake, but the material should not be assumed to replace a separate mordant on every fiber. Unmordanted test swatches may still take color, especially on protein fibers, while depth, palette, and wash performance vary. Use a fiber-appropriate mordant when repeatability matters and test before committing a full batch.
pH Is the Variable Nobody Talks About Enough
An acidic bath (vinegar or citric acid) pushes color toward red, rose, and burgundy. An alkaline bath (soda ash) pushes toward blue-violet and cooler purple. Your tap water already has a pH and mineral profile, so test it before adjusting the bath rather than assuming a fixed outcome. Slight alkalinity can encourage the cooler blue-violet shift, while dissolved minerals and other process variables can still mute or muddy the final color.
How Much to Order
For a first session: 100g dyes 100–200g of fiber across sample swatches. For a single garment: 250–500g. For a workshop of 8–10 people: 500g–1kg. For studio or production use: 1kg and up. Shredded bark yields 2–3 baths per load — factor that in and you get more mileage than the raw ratio suggests.
Not sure what to order?
Tell us about your project — fiber type, batch size, and the color you're after — and we'll help you choose the right form and quantity.