With the end of the walnut harvest season approaching in the mountainous regions of Iran, there was a time when local dyers and traders would go to the villages and summer houses to buy dried walnut shells. What today is often thrown away with garden waste, was a valuable material for traditional dyers. After separation from the fruit, the green shell of the nut was dried and stored to be used for dyeing wool and other fibers throughout the year. Walnut skin was one of the most important natural dyes in traditional Iranian dyeing and created a variety of earthy and brown colors without the need for complex materials. From pea, beige and light brown to hazelnut, walnut and dark brown. By changing the concentration, dyeing time and using different teeth, the final color also changed. Many of the warm, earthy browns and colors seen in old Iranian rugs and carpets were obtained with walnut skin or in combination with other colors.

With the end of the walnut harvest season approaching in the mountainous regions of Iran, there was a time when local dyers and traders would go to the villages and summer houses to buy dried walnut shells. What today is often thrown away with garden waste, was a valuable material for traditional dyers. After separation from the fruit, the green shell of the nut was dried and stored to be used for dyeing wool and other fibers throughout the year. Walnut skin was one of the most important natural dyes in traditional Iranian dyeing and created a variety of earthy and brown colors without the need for complex materials. From pea, beige and light brown to hazelnut, walnut and dark brown. By changing the concentration, dyeing time and using different teeth, the final color also changed. Many of the warm, earthy browns and colors seen in old Iranian rugs and carpets were obtained with walnut skin or in combination with other colors.