Herbs have been used to dye cloth for thousands of years. Until the 19th century, when the chemical industry developed, all dyes were natural.
While chemical dyes offer a wide range of colors, plant dyes are unsurpassed for richness and subtlety of hue. They are created by boiling fresh or dried plant parts in water, and then adding fabric.
Natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and wool are simple to dye at home using your own herbs, vegetables, flowers, and wild plant materials.
Wool is the easiest natural fiber to dye. Use homegrown herbs, vegetables, and flowers to create unique tones.
HERBS TO DYE FOR:
Brown: walnut husks and shells, juniper berries, tea leaves.
Orange: onion skins, turmeric, bloodroot root.
Yellow: safflower, tansy, chamomile, agrimony flowers.
Blue: elder berries, cornflowers.
Beige: St John's wort flowers, blackberry shoots.
Red: madder roots, lady's bedstraw roots, oregano.
Pink: sorrel or lady's bedstraw roots.
Green: nettle plant, hyssop or elder leaves.
