BROWN

BROWN

Brown is the color of the earth. It is a mixture of yellow, red and blue with countless nuances.

In surveys it is one of the least appreciated colors. The older the people surveyed, the more they label brown as their least favorite color. Nevertheless, brown is a popular color choice within the fashion and interior industry. Many people buy brown clothing and brown comes back in many interiors. Other natural sources, which can produce brown color schemes are for example:

Eucalyptus Leaves, Different kind of barks such as Oak, Pine or Mimosa, Beard Grass, Coffee Grounds, Coneflower, Dandelion Roots, Fennel, Henna, Hollyhockflower, Ivy Twigs, Oak Acorns, Sumak Leaves, Walnut Hulls...

On the one hand, brown stands for stability, tranquility, warmth and security. It is known as the color of simplicity and reliability. On the other hand, brown is associated with old-fashioned characteristics.

But brown offers a beautiful color pallette. A lot of natural materials such as wool, wood, leather and countless fibers have brown hues in their natural state. These materials can develop an incredible color.

A warm caramel shade, which can be intensified by extending the soaking time, is created with the help of coffee.

STEP1 Take around one tablespoon of very fine coffee grind. The finer the coffee, the easier it is to create an even finish. Mix the grind with around one tablespoon of warm water. The more coffee beans and the less water is used, the stronger will the color be.

STEP2 Mix your coffee mixture into the tanning lotion or into the animal fat, which is applied onto the skin before drying.

The dye can be applied in two different ways onto the fish skin.

The coffee mixture can either be mixed into the “Emulsified Oils” tanning mixture or after the tanning process into the animal fat, which is used to maintain the leather’s softness.

A) SOAKING TECHNIQUE Mix the coffee mixture into the tanning lotion, which contains one egg yolk and two tablespoons of oil. Make sure the coffee mixture is well mixed with the tanning lotion for an even finish. Lay the clean fish skin evenly into the mixture and let it soak. Afterwards, wash out the fish skin and let it dry.

Color Intensity 5 Minutes : Low 3 Hours : Medium 24 Hours : High

B) MASSAGING TECHNIQUE Mix the coffee mixture into the animal fat, which will be massaged into the fish skin after the tanning process. Massage until almost dry. The more coffee mixture is used, the more intense is the dye outcome.

This natural color recipe is suitable to dye one piece of fish skin (10x15 cm). INGREDIENTS

1 TBSP fine coffee grind

1 TBSP warm water

A) 1 egg yolk + 2 TBSP sunflower oil