Humans have been coloring fabric, fibers, and wool for thousands of years and we can use many of the same plants they used to dye today. Using these leaves, flowers, and roots carries on cultural traditions, deepens our connection to nature, and encourages experimentation and creativity.
Dye plants come in all types. Sometimes you'll use the entire plant, sometimes just a part of it, sometimes you'll compound dyes or overdye to create the color you're wanting. You can dye with kitchen scraps, local plants you can forage for free, or dye plants you purchase. Just be sure you don't use any toxic plants and always research before tossing plants into your dye pot!
Two main ingredients are needed to start dyeing: your fabric/fibers and the plants you're using to color them.
Your dyeing results will differ if you're working with cellulose fibers like cotton, linen, or hemp or if you're working with protein fibers like silk or wool. Your process will also differ depending on what colors you're wanting to create so research specifics for the plants you intend to use. You may also want to mordant your fibers to get deep and long-lasting color.
Mordanting: treating the fiber with a substance to make the dyes last.
Some plants are direct dyes and don't need any mordants to attach to the fiber: indigo (best on cellulose fibers) or walnut, cutch, safflower (best on protein fibers) are a few direct dye plants.
Metal mordants like aluminum, iron, copper, tin, or alum create a chemical bond between the fiber and the dye. This fixes the color so it'll stay put through washing, sun exposure, and wear. Metal mordants can also subtly or dramatically change the end result color which is great for experimenting or more precise color needs. I'm not experienced in metal mordants (yet!) but there's tons of guides online if this sounds like the right treatment for your needs!
Soy milk isn't really a mordant but a binder. It enhances color uptake and makes cellulose fibers act more like protein fibers, but doesn't form any chemical bond between the fiber and dye. If you pretreat your fibers with soy milk and wash them gently you can still have lovely colors for years. This is my favorite method because it's easy and cheap!
If you dye protein fibers you can also choose to skip pretreating. Wool and silk take up dyes pretty well without mordants, they just won't be the longest lasting colors. It works plenty well if you're dyeing for fun or don't mind to overdye your fibers if the color fades too much.
*Don't get too caught up in mordanting and finding the perfect recipe if you're new to this. Half the fun of botanical dyeing is experimentation, creativity, and not knowing exactly what colors you'll end up with!*
Preparing Dye Plants and Dyeing
The specifics on prepping and dyeing will depend on what you're using, but you can generally use fresh or dried plants as long as they're in good condition.
You'll create your dye bath by either simmering the plant material, infusing it in hot water like tea, or soaking it in water for a period of time.
The exact amounts vary but a good rule of thumb is equal weights of your dye plants and your fibers to get a good color. More dye plants = richer colors and less = lighter colors. The dye potential in a plant will also vary from year to year and even season to season. This all just means that whatever you dye will truly be one of a kind.
Once your dye bath is prepared you'll add your fibers to it. Most plants use a hot dyeing method where you simmer the fibers in the dye bath for around an hour or until you're happy with the material's color. Remove it from the dye bath, rinse it, and dry it!
Some natural dye plants to try: eucalyptus, ivy, onion, avocado, elderberries, calendula, madder, coffee grounds. I also have this post listing dye plants and the colors they create if you want to check that out!
Drying wool, silk, and hemp fabrics dyed with madder root (dark pink), avocado skins (soft pink), and red onion skins (green).
