"The color was already in the plant. You just gave it a reason to stay.
"KaiRenner26th of April 2026
Why Natural Dyes Need a Mordant
A mordant is a mineral salt that binds dye molecules to fabric fibers. Without it, most natural colors wash out within a few cycles. Alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) is the safest and most widely available mordant. Use 15 percent of the dry weight of fabric in alum dissolved in hot water. Iron mordant shifts colors toward green and gray and can be added as an afterbath.
Which Plants Give the Best Color
Onion skins (yellow to deep gold) are the most reliable plant dye available.
Which Plants Give the Best Color
Onion skins (yellow to deep gold) are the most reliable plant dye available. Black-eyed Susan flowers give a rich golden yellow. Weld (Reseda luteola) gives a bright, lightfast yellow that has been used for centuries. Madder root gives reds and oranges
Mordanting Your Fabric First
Wet your fabric thoroughly before mordanting to ensure even uptake.
Mordanting Your Fabric First
Wet your fabric thoroughly before mordanting to ensure even uptake. Dissolve alum in a small amount of hot water, then add to a pot of warm water. Enter the wet fabric and heat slowly to 82 to 88 Celsius over 45 minutes. Hold at temperature for one hour,
Making and Using the Dye Bath
Use roughly equal weight of plant material to dry weight of fabric as a
Making and Using the Dye Bath
Use roughly equal weight of plant material to dry weight of fabric as a starting point. Simmer plant material in water for one hour, then strain out all solids. Enter the mordanted fabric into the warm dye bath and heat gently to 80 Celsius. Hold for 45
Finishing and Caring for Naturally Dyed Fabric
Rinse in water starting warm and moving to cool to avoid shocking wool fibers.
Finishing and Caring for Naturally Dyed Fabric
Rinse in water starting warm and moving to cool to avoid shocking wool fibers. Add a splash of white vinegar to the final rinse to brighten colors and set the pH. Dry in shade away from direct sun since UV breaks down natural dyes quickly. Wash finished
Foraging and Safety Notes
Identify every plant with certainty before boiling it in your kitchen
Wear gloves when handling mordant chemicals and plant dye baths
Never use your dye pots for cooking afterward
Dispose of spent dye bath safely, check local rules for plant material
Keep a dye journal with plant, mordant, fabric, and result for each batch