T-shirt · Tannin / Iron / Citric acid · Unisex
Naturally dyed T-shirt made from 100% organic cotton. Each piece is individually crafted in the studio.
Hand-dyed
Natural dyes
Individually manufactured
Brief description:
Hand-dyed & heavyweight T-shirt using the tannin-dye process with oak galls and a subsequent iron(II) sulfate afterbath; the citric acid finish creates a soft, widely lightened underpattern that develops from the original splashes during washing.
Fit:
- Unisex Oversized Fit (runs larger)
Technical description:
Materials & Preparation
- Fiber: Single jersey, 100% cotton - organic open-end carded, pre-washed - 240 GSM
- Pre-mordanting: Aluminum triformate (cold mordant) to prepare the fiber for vegetable dyes
dyeing system
- Dye: Tannin from oak galls
- Afterbath: Iron(II) sulfate for grey to neutral tone shift
- Additive: Citric acid for final pH-based brightening.
Process parameters
- Procedure: Two-stage tannin staining (base bath + iron after bath)
- Contact time: graduated exposure times in the tannin bath and the iron bath
- Citric acid application: Spray application, the clearly defined droplet shapes of which dissolve in the laundry and spread out over a wide area.
- Cure Phase: Resting phase to stabilize the dye binding before final washing.
- Oxidation: natural color development through contact with air after both dyeing stages
- Final step: Rinse, then machine wash with mild detergent, followed by steam finishing and air drying.
Coloring page
- Basic image: neutral grey tone due to tannin-iron reaction
- Lightening: clearly lightened, large-area staining resulting from the previously localized citric acid splashes.
- Pattern effect: soft, cloud-like underpattern without hard edges
- Structure: gentle flows and gradients due to the breakdown of droplet shapes during washing
Production
- Location: Cosmaki Natural Dyeing Studio, Cologne
- Date of dyeing: October 9, 2025
- Method: fully manual dyeing series
Notes
- Each staining develops a unique image, including the citric acid contact points.
- Slight tonal changes may occur during use.
- Care: Wash separately or with similar colors for the first two washes, in cold or lukewarm water; use a gentle detergent.
- Details
- dyeing process
- Care
- 100% organic cotton blank
- Single coloring
- Small production quantity
- Made in Cologne
- Pre-washed
- Preparation with aluminium triformate (cold pickling)
- Use of natural dyes
- Hand-dyed
- Each batch may vary slightly.
- Wash separately or with similar colors for the first two washes.
- cold or lukewarm
- Liquid detergent for delicates
- No bleach
- The color may change slightly over time.
Dyeing series
Dyeing in small quantities
All T-shirts are dyed in small batches or individually. The dyes act directly on the fiber, making each piece a visible result of the respective dyeing process.
Studio in Cologne
Production on site
The dyeing process takes place at the Cosmaki natural dyeing studio in Cologne. Every step is done manually – from preparing the dye solution to the final washing and drying.
