How to Dye Fabric With Natural Elements
People use natural elements to dye fabrics as an alternative to chemical dyes. There are five categories of natural dyes: indigo, cochineal, madder, cutch and weld. Plants, cochineal (animal sources, usually insects) and ocher (mineral sources) are the natural sources used to create natural dyes. With the exception of fluorescent colors, natural elements can create almost any color that looks strong and resists fading. DyesPigments.com believes using natural dyes to color textiles will reduce the cost of their production and the expense of chemicals.
Things You'll Need
- Plant materials for dying
- Fabric made of natural elements (cotton, wool, silk, muslin or bamboo, for example)
- Water
- 2 stock pots
- Salt fixative: ½ cup for every 8 cups of water
- Plant fixative: 1 cup of vinegar for every 4 cups of water
Instructions
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1
Gather the plant materials you want to use for dying fabric. Make sure berries used are ripe, flowers have fully blossomed and nuts are fully mature.
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2
Create the dye solution by chopping the material used into small pieces. Place the natural elements into a pot and place 2 cups of water in the pot for every cup of natural materials. Bring the ingredients to a boil, lower the heat on the stove and let the elements simmer for an hour. Strain the plant materials from the colored water and reserve the water.
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3
Prepare the fabric you want to use for dying. Soak the fabric in the salt fixative if you are using berries to dye the fabric. Soak the fabric in the plant fixative if you are using plants to dye the fabric. Simmer the fabric in the fixative for an hour. After an hour has passed, rinse the fabric in cold water until the water coming from the fabric runs clear.
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4
Wring the fabric treated with the fixative dry; place it in to the dye solution.
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5
Simmer the fabric in the solution until it reaches the color you want. Rinse the dyed fabric with cold water.
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Tips & Warnings
To make a deeper or stronger shade of color when creating the dye solution, let the natural materials soak in the water boiled in overnight.
Always wash dyed fabric in cold water, separate from other laundry items.
Use old pots to prepare and dye the materials in because they can get stained.
Use rubber gloves when handling the fabric and dyes.
Call your local poison control office before boiling plants, as some may be naturally toxic.
References
- Photo Credit berry image by Henryk Olszewski from Fotolia.com
