A chemical compound consisting of stannic chloride and ammonium chloride, historically used as a mordant to fix dyes to cotton and silk fibers. It prepares the fabric to accept coloring agents, ensuring wash-fastness and vibrant hues, particularly for red and pink natural dyes.
Heard on the job
We need to treat the cotton batches with pink salt before dropping them into the madder vat.
Insider tip
Despite the name, the salt itself is white or colorless; it earned the name because it was primarily used to produce bright pinks and reds in the dye bath.