Aranya’s natural dyes are the very heart of the brand. Here madder is made into reds and pinks, indigo into blues and greens, and jackfruit into vibrant, buttery yellows. The organisation currently employs seventy people to produce and research natural dyes, at their workshop in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Colours created from leaves, flowers and trees are full of nature’s energy, and paints true dedication to the preservation of traditional techniques. Join us in continuing the legacy of Bengal and the journey of true colour.

Indigo (Indigofera Tinctoria)
Indigo is one of the most sought after and enigmatic colours on the planet. The Indigofera Tinctoria plant is native to Bengal, grown commonly to improve the soil composition in between harvests. The leaves of the shrub are soaked and fermented to produce a wide spectrum of shades, from deep green to the prized radiant indigo blue. Known as Neel in the sub-continent, historically the pigment was used in painting and as a fabric dye for the garb of armed forces and important personalities.

Madder (Rubia cordifolia)
Rubia cordifolia, widely known as Manjit, has been cultivated as a dyestuff since antiquity. The stems of the plant produce a rich catalogue of reds, traces of which are found in the relics of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, and Mohenjodaro. In addition to its colour-bearing property, the Madder plant has medicinal benefits for the skin and can be found in many herbal apothecaries in the region. Madder is one the most precious Aranya natural colours.

Betel Nut (Areca catechu)
Supari is commonly known as the Betel Nut and is used as a stimulant across Asia. The hard seed has been utilized to make pigments of reddish browns and deep pinks for millennia .

Onion (Allium cepa)
Used the world over, onion skins are the most commonly available source of colour. The supreme functionality and abundance of nature is unmatched, as nothing is wasted. Onion skins yield a range of colours from yellow to brown to green. The skin of onions are collected from various establishments like restaurants, and reused in Aranya dyes. What would have been wastage is instead reborn into beautiful, natural colour!

Catechu (Acacia catechu)
The Catechu is a deciduous, thorny tree known as Khoyer in Bangla. It grows throughout the subcontinent and its extract is used as a food additive, astringent, and dyestuff. True cutch is extracted from the wood of the Acacia catechu tree. To make the dye the brown liquor extract is boiled, condensed, dried a nd broken into chunks that resemble brown crystals. Cutch yields a wide range of ea rthy, shimmering browns.

Raintree (Albizoia lucida)
In China the Albizoia lucida is used in traditional medicine. The tree flowers young with clusters of cream colored puff-like blossoms, inspiring its Latin name Lucida, a bright star. Aranya has been using the raintree as a source of the deepest to the lightest beiges, including a rich, old gold, since the early days. To protect the integrity of the tree, only the sawdust is used and never the bark of rooted trees.

Marigold (Tagetes erecta)
The marigold is used in Bangladesh to decorate wedding celebrations and other festive occasions. Aranya dyers reuse the blossoms to produce bright shades of yellow and orange, as brilliant after processing as they were in their bloom. Fabric dyed with the marigolds is resplendent with joy and festivity. On that note, most flowers, ranging from the Marigold, to the Flame of the Forest (Krishnachura), can be used to derive beautiful, natural colours.

Jackwood (Artocarpus integrifolia)
The earliest written record of the use of natural dyestuff dates back to 2600 BC in China. People have been using flowers, plants, bones, shells and other natural materials to dye and decorate their robes and surroundings since the early days of civilization. Millennia of investigation has led to the discovery of hundreds of sources of brilliant natural colours. One such source is the Jackfruit tree, the sawdust of which is an abundant source of golden yellows and browns.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
Pomegranate is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. Revered as a symbol of eternity, love, and fertility, the pomegranate has been used as a source of nutrition and colour for millennia. Dyers use the dried pomegranate peel to make golden yellows, greens and even dark greys.

Myrabalan (Terminalia chebula)
Terminalia chebula is a deciduous tree native to Asia, particularly the foothills of the Himalayas. Haritaki dye makes butter yellows, olive greens, earthy browns and even silvery grays, depending on the recipe and mixture. The particularity of Myrobalan is that it is rich in tannins, which attach well to the plant fibers, making it perfectly suitable for dying natural cottons and silks.

Aranya has always strived to work towards the preservation and research of crafts and traditions of Bangladesh. The label has been successful in documenting the fading craft traditions across the country, as well as supporting and encouraging new generations of artisans to continue with their artistry. The history of Bengal can often be told through its textiles; through the legends of Jamdani and the tales of the Nakshikanta. Aranya is known to source all its materials and products directly from over 3000 weavers, embroiderers, jewellers, printers and craftsmen working from their homes or from small-scale community factories. The label has an established workshop based in Dhaka, which employs 36 workers to dye, print, wash and dry the signature fabrics for Aranya.

Jamdani
The prized Jamdani weaving tradition of Bangladesh is a wonder of craftsmanship, a jewel of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (UNESCO). For over three decades, Aranya has been at the forefront of the effort to revive and preserve the traditional Jamdani designs collected from museums and private collections. Weavers work from memory following rhythmically chanted instructions and it can take over 3 months to produce six yards of fabric. Our limited line of natural dye Jamdani collection is woven by some of the finest masters of the craft.

Aranya supports the Jamdani community, ensuring the sustainability of their unique craft.

Nakshi Katha
Nakshi Katha, the traditional needle-stitch embroidery of Bangladesh, has been the medium for expression for generations of women. Documenting household objects, landscapes as well as stories and parables in thread, the craft requires great skill and is passed on from mother to daughter.

The Aranya Nakshi Katha collection is created using naturally dyed thread by women in different districts of Bangladesh.

Shibori
Shibori is an ancient Japanese term for the manual resist dyeing technique, resulting in intricate patterns on fabric.

The word comes from the verb root shiboru, “to wring, squeeze, press”, an apt definition.

Rather than treating the material as a flat two dimensional surface, Shibori dyeing creates a three-dimensional sensation due to the process of folding, crumpling, stitching, plaiting, and twisting.

Surface designing with natural dye has its limitations, therefore the technique of Shibori is an ideal form to create intricate motifs for Aranya’s collection.