The GA Guide to Natural Dyeing with Food Scraps

Apr 14

by Kymberly Lawyer | Read time 7 min

The garment and greater textile industry is a huge polluter of bodies of water because of the use of toxic dyes that runoff into crucial waterways. This practice is so harmful to the local communities and animals as it renders their drinking water completely un-usable. Thankfully, all natural dyes using the fruits and vegetables that account for almost half of the world’s total food waste provide a much healthier and environmentally friendly option to dye natural fibers and materials!

We hope that in the future larger companies begin to invest into this natural way of dyeing, but in the meantime, you can do it at home in a smaller scale. So, before you throw out those onion skins or carrot tops, you can use them one more time before they go into the compost bin! Whether for dyeing easter eggs, tie dyeing, or just dying fabric or yarn, there are so many foods you may already have in your pantry that can be used to create natural pigments and dyes. Keep reading as we walk you through the steps!

What You’ll Need:

A pot with lid for boiling water
Glass containers for each dye color
Stainless steel tongs
Stainless steel colander
Oven mitt or garden gloves
Food scraps and/or spices
Un-dyed material
White vinegar
pH neutral soap

Select Your Materials

Natural plant and animal fibers work best for natural pigments. Linen, cotton, wool, and silk are our favorites to work with. Keep in mind how much fabric you are dyeing so you can adjust the amount of dye to fit your needs! If this is your first time dyeing fabric at home don’t expect to get the exact color you’re aiming for. There are so many factors that influence the outcome of the final color like the type of fabric, the ph of the water, what mordants you use, and the freshness of the food scraps. Just have fun and experiment!

Best Foods to Use:

Pink- avocado pits, fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, raspberries, beets, or red/pink roses.
Red- red onion skins, pomegranate juice, raspberries, or strawberries.
Orange- carrots, yellow onion skins, paprika, or chili powder.
Yellow/Gold- pomegranate rind, yellow onion skins, orange or lemon peels, ground cumin, ground turmeric, celery leaves, bay leaves, or carrot tops.
Greenish Yellow- yellow delicious apple peels, or fresh parsley.
Green- spinach, mint, basil, or artichokes.
Blue- red cabbage leaves, black beans, elderberries, or blueberries.
Violet/Purple- red onion skins, violet flowers, red wine, or hibiscus tea.
Golden Brown- dill seeds.
Brown- coffee, black tea, or black walnut shells.
Grey/Black- blackberries.

Good Ancestor Tips:

Take a look through your pantry for any of the listed ingredients. If you don’t have any food waste then you can go to your local grocery stores or restaurants and ask for any scraps they may have.

If you are dyeing Easter eggs, you only need to follow step 2 and 4 after selecting your materials!

1. Scour

This is a technical term for thoroughly cleaning your fabric. You can do this with a couple of tablespoons of ph neutral soap or detergent. Just put your fabric or yarn in a pot with the soap an simmer for an hour. Rinse afterwards.

2. Make Dye

Once you have your food scrap materials selected, chop up into pieces and place into your pot with a ratio of 1 part food scraps to 2 parts water. Boil the scraps or spices then simmer for 1 hour. If you want to have a richer color, leave the scraps in the water for a longer time.

3. Mordant

Another technical term! This step is to help the dye really soak into the material you are dyeing. There are a lot of mordant options for different materials and foods so you can google which specific one works for your needs. A safe and kid friendly option is to use 1 part vinegar to 4 parts lukewarm water. Let the material soak for an hour then wring out excess liquid.

4. Dye Your Fabric

This is the fun part! Make sure your fabric is still damp because it will absorb the color more evenly. You can now dunk your fabric in the dye bath using your tongs to swirl it around. Depending on the shade you are trying to achieve, you can keep your fabric in there from 1 hour to 24 hours. Once you’re happy with the color, rinse with cold water and dry. Before using the fabric make sure to wash it with a ph neutral soap.