Roasted cocoa beans look and smell enticing; the colour of coffee, from café au lait to chocolate to café noir is warm and welcoming.
In our workrooms we use coffee in grain form and liquid coffee/chicory essence to dye cloth and trimmings. It imparts a slightly pinky, aged tone with a quick dip, and deeper colours if left for longer. You’ll need to test a piece as materials and coffee vary. We always use boiling water as this holds the colour at a temperature beyond that at which you are likely to launder. And a coffee pot with plunger to compress the material into the liquid and glass sides so that you can see what’s happening is very useful for small quantities.