Cochineal Dyeing Methods with Bulmaro Pérez Mendoza

Learn about cochineal dyeing with Bulmaro Pérez Mendoza of Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. This video was produced in conjunction with the 2015 exhibition, "The Red That Colored The World," at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, NM. Cochineal dyeing involves using a red dye derived from dried female cochineal insects that feed on nopal cactus. The dye, carminic acid, produces bright reds, purples, and pinks on natural fibers like wool, cotton, and silk. The process typically involves grinding the dried insects, extracting the dye with water, and then using the resulting dye bath to color fabric after it has been mordanted (treated to help it bind to the dye).