--- title: "Noodler's Southwest Sunset: The Shading Orange Ink" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/noodlers-southwest-sunset/" description: "Noodler's Southwest Sunset explained: the shading orange once called Apache Sunset, its 3 oz bottle, dry time, water resistance, best nibs and paper, origin." category: "Accessories" type: "Fountain pen ink" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 6 products: - name: "Noodler's Southwest Sunset fountain pen ink, 3 oz bottle (formerly Apache Sunset)" brand: "Noodler's" brand_origin: "United States" made_in: "United States" material: "Water-based dye ink in a glass bottle" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Noodler's Ink, Massachusetts" model: "19022 Southwest Sunset, 3 oz" sku: "N19022" url: "https://noodlersink.com/product/19022-southwest-sunset/" --- # Noodler's Southwest Sunset: The Shading Orange Ink > Noodler's Southwest Sunset is a bright orange fountain pen ink known for heavy shading from yellow to deep orange. Noodler's sold it as Apache Sunset until June 2022. It comes in a 3 oz (90 ml) glass bottle, isn't water resistant, dried in 35 seconds in one review, and is made in the USA, in our $$ band. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/noodlers-southwest-sunset/ - Category: Accessories - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-22 - Updated: 2026-10-22 ![Noodler's Southwest Sunset 3 oz glass bottle beside a swatch card of orange ink shading to yellow, with an inset of a shaded letter](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/noodlers-southwest-sunset-16x9.png) *The 3 oz bottle and a swatch, drawn in proportion; label art and tints are representative.* Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Noodler's Southwest Sunset fountain pen ink, 3 oz bottle (formerly Apache Sunset) | Noodler's (by Noodler's Ink, Massachusetts) | United States | United States | Water-based dye ink in a glass bottle | – | $$: $5–20 per item | - Made in (Noodler's Southwest Sunset fountain pen ink, 3 oz bottle (formerly Apache Sunset)): United States. Noodler's About Us page says its ink is 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink. Goulet's listing doesn't state an origin for Southwest Sunset specifically. Source: https://noodlersink.com/about-us/ ## Key takeaways - It comes in a 3 oz (90 ml) glass bottle with a 23.6 mm (0.93 in) opening, per Goulet Pens. - It was called Apache Sunset until June 2022; Noodler's item number is 19022. - Mountain of Ink measured a 35-second dry time and rated its water resistance low. - One bottle gives about 112 fills of a 0.8 ml converter, in our $$ band ($5–20). - Goulet ranked it No. 66 on its best-seller list on October 22, 2026, with 401 reviews. ## What is Noodler's Southwest Sunset? **It's a bright orange fountain pen ink famous for its shading, sold until 2022 as Apache Sunset.** Goulet Pens calls it one of its best sellers, known for its beautiful shading. On October 22, 2026, it was No. 66 on Goulet's best-seller list, with 401 reviews. Noodler's lists it as item 19022. ## Southwest Sunset specs | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Maker | Noodler's Ink, Massachusetts | | Bottle | 3 oz (90 ml), glass | | Bottle opening | 23.6 mm (0.93 in) (Goulet) | | Color | Orange, shading yellow to deep orange | | Water resistance | No (Goulet); low (Mountain of Ink) | | Dry time | 35 s (Mountain of Ink); 4–5 s (Pen Chalet) | | Iron gall, pigment, shimmer | None (Goulet) | | Price band | $$ ($5–20 per bottle) | Goulet notes that Noodler's inks are handcrafted, so color can vary slightly from batch to batch. ![Southwest Sunset 90 ml bottle drawn as a bar to scale, with fills per bottle: about 225 for a CON-40, 112 for a LAMY Z28 and 51 for a TWSBI ECO](https://stationerytimes.com/images/noodlers-southwest-sunset-fills.svg) *Fills per 90 ml bottle (bottle ÷ capacity) and the two dry times reviewers measured.* ## Why was Apache Sunset renamed? **Noodler's renamed it Southwest Sunset in June 2022, per Goulet; neither seller gives a reason.** Goulet's listing says only "formerly known as Apache Sunset". Neither Goulet nor Noodler's mentions a change of formula, and Noodler's site still lists a 16 oz bottle under the old name. Older reviews of Apache Sunset describe the same shading orange. ## How does it shade? **From pale yellow where the stroke is thin to deep orange where ink pools.** Mountain of Ink described it in 2017 as a bright medium orange with lighter shading, and rated shading medium. Pen Chalet recommends a broad, stub or music nib to bring out the shading. A fine nib gives a more even, lighter orange line. ## Does it dry fast, and is it waterproof? **Not especially fast, and not waterproof.** Mountain of Ink measured 35 seconds and had trouble getting large swabs to dry; Pen Chalet timed 4–5 seconds and expects longer with a larger nib. Goulet lists it as not water resistant, and Pen Chalet saw it smear and run under a wet swab after 3 minutes. For orange writing that must survive a spill, this isn't the ink; for a permanent ink from the same maker, see [Noodler's Black](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/noodlers-black-ink/). ## How does it compare with other orange inks? **Reviewers compare it most with two other Noodler's oranges, Habanero and Golden Aspen.** Pen Chalet calls it similar in color to Habanero, and its review describes Apache Sunset as Noodler's top-selling color at the time. Mountain of Ink compared it with Noodler's Golden Aspen, a 2017 Colorado Pen Show ink: Golden Aspen took 10 seconds longer to dry, was slightly wetter and about one shade darker. Because Golden Aspen was a limited edition, the reviewer suggested trying Apache Sunset instead. ## Which pens and papers suit it? **Any fountain pen; good paper shows the shading best.** It's a plain dye ink, not iron gall or pigmented, so it cleans out with water. Mountain of Ink found it behaved well on 32 lb copy paper, with no feathering, but bled a little on thin Tomoe River paper in a flex nib. A smooth, coated pad such as the [Rhodia No. 16](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/rhodia-no-16-dot-pad/) keeps the yellow-to-orange contrast crisp. ## How long does a bottle last? **A long time: about 112 fills of a 0.8 ml converter.** That's 90 ml divided by the converter's capacity; a TWSBI ECO takes about 51 fills. Pen Chalet notes the bottle comes full to the brim. When the level drops too low for a big nib, a small inkwell such as the [Ink Miser Ink-Shot](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/ink-miser-ink-shot-inkwell/) helps. For a Noodler's blue from the same Goulet shelf, see [Noodler's Liberty's Elysium](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/noodlers-libertys-elysium/). ## Where is Southwest Sunset made? **In the USA, by Noodler's in Massachusetts.** Noodler's About Us page says its ink is 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink. The bottle carries Noodler's catfish label. For more picks by color and use, see our [best fountain pen inks](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-fountain-pen-inks/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Southwest Sunset the same ink as Apache Sunset? It's the same ink under a new name. Goulet Pens says Noodler's renamed Apache Sunset to Southwest Sunset in June 2022; neither Goulet nor Noodler's mentions a formula change. ### Is Noodler's Southwest Sunset waterproof? No. Goulet lists it as not water resistant, and Mountain of Ink rated its water resistance low. ### What nib shows off Southwest Sunset's shading best? A broad, stub or flex nib. Wider, wetter lines pool more ink at the ends of strokes, which is where the dark orange shows against the yellow. ### Does Southwest Sunset feather on cheap paper? Usually not in a fine nib. Mountain of Ink saw no feathering on 32 lb copy paper, but some bleeding on thin Tomoe River paper with a flex nib. ### How many fills are in a 3 oz bottle of Noodler's ink? About 225 fills of a 0.4 ml Pilot CON-40, 112 of a 0.8 ml LAMY Z28 or 51 of a TWSBI ECO's 1.76 ml, at 90 ml a bottle. ### Is Southwest Sunset iron gall or pigmented? Neither. Goulet's spec sheet lists it as not iron gall, not pigmented and without shimmer. ### Is Noodler's ink made in the USA? Yes. Noodler's says its ink is 100% made in the USA, from cap to glass to ink. ## Sources - [Noodler's Ink: 19022 Southwest Sunset (product listing; 16 oz Apache Sunset still listed as 19831; read October 22, 2026)](https://noodlersink.com/product/19022-southwest-sunset/) - [Noodler's Ink: About Us (100% made in the USA)](https://noodlersink.com/about-us/) - [The Goulet Pen Company: Noodler's Southwest Sunset, 3 oz bottled ink (glass, 23.6 mm opening; renamed from Apache Sunset June 2022; known for shading; not water resistant; 401 reviews; read October 22, 2026)](https://www.gouletpens.com/products/noodlers-southwest-sunset-3oz-bottled-ink) - [The Goulet Pen Company: Best sellers (Southwest Sunset at No. 66, October 22, 2026)](https://www.gouletpens.com/collections/best-sellers) - [Mountain of Ink: Ink Review No. 126, Noodler's Apache Sunset (October 27, 2017; 35 s dry time, low water resistance, medium shading)](https://mountainofink.com/blog/noodlers-apache-sunset) - [Pen Chalet: Noodler's Apache Sunset ink review (dry time 4–5 s; not waterproof; broad, stub or music nibs for shading; bottle full to the brim)](https://www.penchalet.com/blog/noodle)