The bark of ancient oaks, gathered only from trees that have naturally fallen, holds a deep reserve of tannin-rich colour. When soaked and boiled, it releases an earthy dye once used for tanning leather and preserving cloth. But with the addition of iron, the chemistry shifts, the warm tan transforms into a rich taupey grey, deep and moody like a storm-lit sky. This alchemical process has been used for centuries. Revered by the Druids as a sacred bridge between earth and sky, the oak has long been a silent witness to history, its essence now carried into every fibre of the dyed paper.