Medicinal Woad Uses Medicinal woad plants have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine because of their antibiotic and antiviral properties. There is some evidence that woad is also medicinally active against fungal infections, cancer cells, and parasites and reduces inflammation.

How do you dye with woad powder?

Warm the fibre in water at a similar temperature to the woad vat. Wearing rubber gloves, squeeze the fibre while still in the soak water, keep it squeezed (compression helps to keep the air out) as you let the excess drip over the soak water. Lower the fibre into the dye vat and then release. Leave for 10 min.

How woad was used as a natural dye?

The Woad plant (Isatis tinctoria) has been famous as a source of blue pigment for several thousand years. Its main use is as a dye for wool and other fabrics. The pigment is extracted from the dark blue-green spinach-like leaves of the woad plant that is a close relative of spinach and other brassicas.