How to Dye Fabric Naturally

Don't use chemical based dyes for your fabric; instead, use natural materials.

Dyeing your clothes can be a fun way to gain a whole new wardrobe. However, instead of spending money on chemical dyes to dye your clothing, try the "green" way. There are many different plants, berries, leaves and barks that will dye your clothes. To achieve the best color it's best to use a cotton material that's white. The natural dye can dye darker colors, but you will have to allow the fabric to soak in the dye for several hours.

Things You'll Need

• 4 cups natural dye material
• Rubber gloves and old clothes
• Knife
• Large, old pot
• 8 cups water
• Strainer
• 1/2 cup salt
• 8 cups cold water
• Medium-sized bowl
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 cup vinegar

Instructions

1. Determine what color you'd like to dye the fabric--visit Pioneer Thinking for the list of plant materials that can be used as dye.

2. Gather the material that you'd like to use. Keep in mind that plant-life you'd like to use will have to be in full bloom in order to dye the fabric successfully.

3. Put on a pair of rubber gloves and old clothing. The natural dyes can stain your clothing as well as your skin.

4. Make your dye bath. Use a sharp knife to mince the natural plant-life you'd like to use as dye (about four cups worth of material). Place the material into a large, old pot. Pour eight cups of water into pot. Turn the heat of the burner up so that the dye water begins to boil. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat and allow the dye bath to simmer for an hour.

5. Make your salt fixative or plant fixative while the dye bath simmers. This will help the dye set into the material that is to be dyed. For any dyes being made from berries, combine half a cup of salt in eight cups of cold water in a medium-sized bowl. Soak the material waiting to be dyed in this solution for one hour. For any dyes being made from a plant, combine 4 cups cold water and one cup of vinegar in a medium bowl. Again, allow the material to soak in the fixative for an hour.

6. Strain the plant-life, fruit or vegetables from the dye bath. Pour the dye bath back into the large pot.

7. Remove the fabric from the fixative and add it to the dye bath. Keep the fabric soaking in the dye bath overnight.

8. Rinse out the fabric with cool water until the water runs clear. Line-dry your newly dyed fabric.

Tips & Warnings

• When washing your dyed fabrics, wash them separately in cold water to prevent bleeding.

References

• Aurora Silk: How to Use Natural Dyes
• Natural Dyes: Textiles

Resources

• Pioneer Thinking: Natural Dyes