Tinta Dulce (Sweet Ink)

Artist’s country of origen: Colombia
Materials: Fique fibers, wool, dyes made from coca leaves
Medium: Textile / Object
Size: N/A
Year: 2024

Tinta Dulce is a project of experimentation and collective creation that investigates the use of coca leaf flour as a natural source of color. Through artisanal dyeing processes, the project develops pigments applied to fibers such as silk, cotton, fique, and wool, resulting in a chromatic palette that ranges from yellows to greens.

The initiative has been developed in collaboration with women’s artisan associations and natural fiber cooperatives in different regions of Colombia, including Boyacá, Santander, Cauca, and Cundinamarca. Through workshops and knowledge-transfer processes, Tinta Dulce has supported the integration of coca dyes into artisanal product portfolios, strengthening local capacities, diversifying incomes, and promoting alternative productive value chains.

Beyond its artistic dimension, Tinta Dulce seeks to transform perceptions of the coca leaf and the communities that cultivate it, reclaiming its cultural value and its potential as a creative resource. This purpose is reflected in a short documentary that brings together the voices of artisans from Guacamayas, Sutatausa, and Curití, who share their experiences using coca leaves as a textile dye and opening new horizons grounded in local knowledge.

Additionally, Tinta Dulce makes available a free, downloadable dyeing logbook focused on coca leaf inks and dyes, which documents the processes and aims to expand the project’s reach to those interested in incorporating coca as a natural source of color in their own creative projects.
Download the Booklet (PDF)