Natural Dyes Archives - Dyeing Crafts

Natural Dyes

I love working with natural dyes – keeping an ancient tradition – exploring natural colour and being close to nature.

Many people don’t ever consider that mass produced clothing dyed with synthetic dyes are dangerous for us and our environment. These chemicals pollute the air and waterways, they can irritate consumers skin – causing allergies and eczema.

We can benefit from the healing properties of many plants in different ways – from herbal teas, culinary herbs and infusions and also by transferring plant properties onto our fabric.

Making your own natural dyes at home can be done easily – it is so fascinating!

If you are not able to grow your own plants for dyeing – below are a selection of natural dyes which will provide you with an amazing range of fantastic colours! All the instructions can be found on our HOW TO pages in the main menu above. Just scroll down the menu to find your selected dye.

ALKANET

£4.50

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ALKANET

£4.50

Alkanna tinctoria or dyer’s alkanet is a very attractive purple colourant found in the roots of plants belonging to the borage family.

BRAZILWOOD

£4.50

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BRAZILWOOD

£4.50

Produces lovely warm reds and browns. High in tannin. Can be used multiple times. 100g £4.50 HOW TO DYE WITH BRAZILWOOD

COCHINEAL

£7.50

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COCHINEAL

£7.50

Cochineal is a potent natural dyestuff that is derived from the crushed, dried bodies of the female cochineal bug – a scale

COREOPSIS

£5.00

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COREOPSIS

£5.00

Coreopsis produces a strong yellow/orange dye. It is easy to grow, although it does require full sun and good drainage. It flowers

CUTCH

£4.50

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CUTCH

£4.50

A good source of colourfast shades of brown, nutmeg and clove. Cutch contains tannin. 100g £4.50 HOW TO DYE WITH CUTCH

DYER’S CHAMOMILE

£4.50

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DYER’S CHAMOMILE

£4.50

Dyer’s Chamomile – Anthemis tinctoria A short lived perennial herb with aromatic, silver green, feathery foliage. Dyer’s chamomile was used in Medieval

DYER’S GREENWEED

£4.50

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DYER’S GREENWEED

£4.50

Genista tinctoria A very good quality dye is obtained from the flowers and leaves and a lovely green when over-dyed with woad.

FUSTIC CHIPS

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FUSTIC CHIPS

£4.50

Related to the Mulberry tree. The dye comes from the inner wood of the trunk. Dyeing with fustic chips produces a range

GOLDENROD

£4.50

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GOLDENROD

£4.50

Solidago The dried flowers and leaves of the goldenrod are used to create colours from yellow through to green. Takes better on

INDIGO (NATURAL)

£8.00

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INDIGO (NATURAL)

£8.00

Indigofera tinctoria This ancient dyestuff produces the familiar indigo blue used for batik work. There are many ways to make an indigo

LOGWOOD CHIPS

£8.00

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LOGWOOD CHIPS

£8.00

(Haematoxylum campechianum) Logwood comes from a tree native to the West Indies and the Yucatan Peninsula. With alum it gives purple to

LOGWOOD EXTRACT

£10.00

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LOGWOOD EXTRACT

£10.00

(Haematoxylum campechianum) Logwood comes from a tree native to the West Indies and the Yucatan Peninsula. With alum it gives purple to

MADDER CHOPPED

£4.50

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MADDER CHOPPED

£4.50

Madder Rubia Tinctorum – also called Turkey Red The roots of this ancient plant are rich in red alizarin and are the source

MADDER POWDER

£4.50

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MADDER POWDER

£4.50

Madder Rubia Tinctorum – also called Turkey Red The roots of this ancient plant are rich in red alizarin and are the source

MARIGOLD

£4.50

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MARIGOLD

£4.50

Tagetes erecta A major source of carotenoids. Fresh or dried flowers produce yellow-orange and gold colours. 100g – £4.50 HOW TO DYE

SAFFLOWER

£6.50

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SAFFLOWER

£6.50

(Carthamus tinctorius) Safflower is an ancient prickly flowering plant that contains a water soluble yellow dye and an alkaline soluble red dye.