Wild Dyes: A Guide to Dyeing with Plants

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Wild Dyes: A Guide to Dyeing with Plants

An Introduction to Nature’s Palette

Long before chemical dyes filled bottles and shelves, we gathered roots and berries, simmered petals in iron pots, and dyed cloth with the same hands that grew our food. I’ve spent years bringing this same spirit to my soaps—working with what’s at hand, learning from textures, scents, and the slow magic of nature. Natural dyeing is no different. It’s a practice of curiosity, patience, and reverence. Beets yield crimson, onion skins glow gold, red cabbage offers moody blues, and turmeric captures the sun itself. Every batch is alive, shaped by your water, your fibers, your hands.

Whether you’re reviving old cotton sheets or adding gentle hues to handspun yarn you’ll find the techniques, tips, and inspiration to experiment freely. I’ve included everything from food dye charts to mordants, Japanese soy milk dyeing, and even kid-safe egg dyeing. Think of this as more than a manual. It’s a chance to slow down, gather, stir, and witness transformation. Just as I watch soap batters swirl and settle into bars, here you’ll watch colors emerge from kitchen scraps.

So light a fire (or turn on the stove), bring water to a gentle simmer, and let nature’s color run wild. Your camp cotton rounds, your hand-dyed fabrics, your small experiments—they’re all part of the same story: working with your hands, honoring the earth, and celebrating the vibrant, messy, beautiful process of making.

Let’s Dye.

Mordants & Binders

In natural dyeing, color isn’t just applied—it’s persuaded, coaxed, and bound. Mordants are the invisible magic that make it happen. From the Latin mordere, “to bite,” these substances help color grip the fiber and stay there. Without a mordant, many plant-based dyes would fade quickly, bleeding out in the wash or disappearing in sunlight. Mordants don’t add color—they anchor it.

What is a Mordant? When working with plant-based dyes, mordants are your secret weapon. They help the color bind to your fibers, enhance vibrancy, and sometimes even shift the hue. Different mordants work best with certain materials and come with their own effects, safety considerations, and usage techniques. Here’s a breakdown of the most common ones:

Alum (Potassium Aluminum Sulfate) Alum is a classic, food-safe mordant that works well with wool, silk, and cotton (when combined with a tannin). It helps produce bright, true colors from your plant dyes, making it ideal for most projects. Being gentle, it’s safe to handle without heavy precautions. To use alum, dissolve roughly 15% of the fiber weight (WOF) in warm water and soak your fibers before adding your dye. This creates a stable base for long-lasting color.
Iron (Ferrous Sulfate) Iron is best for wool and cotton. Unlike alum, it tends to darken or dull colors, often adding grey or green undertones. Because iron is mildly toxic, gloves are recommended when handling it. Use iron at 1–2% WOF in your mordant bath to subtly adjust tones and give earthy, muted shades.
Copper Copper works on wool and cotton, enriching greens and teals in your dye projects. It is toxic, so handle it carefully. Copper can be applied directly as a copper water solution or used in a dedicated mordant bath to achieve those bright jewel-like tones safely.
Tannin (Tea, Sumac, Oak, Acorns) Tannins are particularly useful for cotton and linen, as they prepare cellulose fibers to better absorb alum and other mordants. They are completely safe to use. To apply, simply soak your fibers in a tannin solution for 1–4 hours before moving on to an alum bath.
Soy Milk For cotton, linen, and hemp, soy milk creates a protein-like surface that helps plant dyes adhere. This method is very safe and traditional in many cultures. To use, soak your fibers in soy milk, let them dry, and repeat as needed to prepare the surface for vibrant color. This method will be explained in more detail later.
Vinegar Vinegar is a specialty mordant, primarily used for egg dyeing. It helps produce bright, vivid colors and is perfectly safe for home use. Simply add vinegar to your egg dye baths according to your recipe to boost color intensity.

Common Food-Based Dyes

Red Cabbage Red cabbage is a versatile dye that changes color depending on pH. For eggs, cotton, or silk, chop and boil the cabbage for 20–30 minutes. Add baking soda for blue tones or vinegar for pinks. Neutral water produces a soft purple.

Yellow Onion Skins Onion skins give golden yellow to deep rust shades on wool, cotton, or eggs. Simmer for about 30 minutes, and remember: the more skins you use, the richer the color.

Beets (or Beetroot Powder) Beets produce delicate pinks to mauve on eggs and wool. Chop and simmer for 30 minutes. Keep in mind that these colors fade in light, so they’re best for short-term use or small decorative projects.

Black Beans Soaking water from black beans yields a muted gray-blue. Perfect for cotton and eggs, soak the beans overnight, strain the liquid, and use — do not cook the beans, or the color will be lost.

Turmeric Turmeric provides bright, sunny yellow. Works on cotton, wool, and eggs. You can boil the root or mix powdered turmeric with water. Gloves recommended — it stains everything it touches!

Avocado Pits & Skins Simmer cleaned pits and skins for 1–2 hours to achieve pale pink to coral on wool or silk. Adding iron can deepen the color into earthy shades.

Spinach & Carrot Tops These greens produce soft greens on wool and cotton. Boil for an hour, and for brighter tones, add a pinch of baking soda.

Blueberries Crush and gently simmer blueberries for lavender to gray-blue. Adding vinegar intensifies purple tones.

Pomegranate Rinds Simmer rinds for 1–2 hours to achieve tan or golden brown. Adding iron yields olive-green hues.

Coffee Grounds & Black Tea Steep strong coffee or tea for soft browns and tans. Works on almost all fibers, with cotton and wool producing the richest shades.

Chili Powder or Paprika Produces orange to rust tones on wool. Simmer gently and use gloves — the pigment stains easily.

Hibiscus Flowers Soft pink to magenta on wool or cotton; steep rather than boil to preserve color.

Walnut (in shell with fruit) Crack open fruit and boil for 20-30 minutes. Strain out solids and add fibers. Produces a deep brown to olive greens.

Rhubarb Root Creates a mustard yellow on cotton. Steep a tea with the root, strain to remove solids, soak overnight for more intense color.

Using Soy Milk as a Mordant on Cotton Yarn

In traditional Japanese dyeing soy milk isn’t just an ingredient, it acts as a natural mordant without the use of metal salts. The result? Subtle, long-lasting color and a distinct hand-feel that’s light, flexible, and rooted in centuries of knowledge.

Why I Choose Soy for My Own Projects When I first started experimenting with natural dyes, I wanted a way to honor the fibers I used and the environment I live in. Cotton is soft, breathable, and humble — it feels at home in the woods, in a pack, or around a campfire. Using soy milk as a mordant feels like coming full circle: it’s plant-based, gentle, and completely aligned with the philosophy of working with what the earth provides. Soaking cotton in soy milk is a quiet, almost meditative process. You watch the fibers swell slightly, take on a subtle warmth, and become ready to embrace the colors you’ve coaxed from roots, skins, and petals. There’s a rhythm to it, like tending a small garden or stirring a simmering pot over an open flame — a moment to slow down and connect with your hands and your materials. Soy milk binds naturally with the cotton, creating a “protein-like” surface that holds the pigments beautifully, giving you richer, longer-lasting colors without the harshness of chemical mordants. For me, it’s the perfect choice for camp cotton rounds: soft and safe on skin, gentle for sensitive hands, and completely non-toxic if used in an outdoor or backcountry setting. This isn’t just technique — it’s tradition in motion. Indigenous and Asian dyers recognized the power of plant-based mordants, and here I’m translating it into something practical for modern adventurers who want clean, vibrant, and intentional creations.

Step by Step: Dyeing Fibers

Okay, you’ve picked your dyes, you’ve picked your mordant method, and now it’s time to bring everything together with heat and time. This section breaks down the hands-on methods for using food-based dyes on fabric, yarn, and eggs. Whether you want even tone, soft ombre, wild splotches, or speckled, there’s a technique here for you.

Step 1. Scour + Mordant Soak Your Fibers Before anything touches dye, your fibers need to be clean and ready to receive color. Scouring (for fabric & yarn) removes waxes, oils, and residues that block dye absorption.

TO SCOUR: Soak in warm water with a drop of gentle dish soap. Gently agitate. Rinse in a bowl of clean water. Then soak in water with mordant for recommended time, dry thoroughly. (reference chart above for choosing a mordant and reference your specific mordant’s instructions).

Step 2. Dry Completely Before anything else, the mordanted yarn must dry completely before entering a color bath. I hang mine from a clothesline in my basement. They are flipped / turned once a day and fans are there to quicken the drying process.

Step 3. Make Dye Bath Fill a large stock pot with water. Add your dye and simmer or boil for recommended time based on ingredients (usually 20-60 minutes). Once boiled, strain out any solids using a colander and / or cheese cloth.

Step 4. Soak Mordanted Yarn in Dye Bath Fully submerge mordanted yarns in a warm dye bath off of heat. Note: Some ingredients will provide a darker or deeper color if the yarn is temporarily simmered in the dye bath. Always double-check based on which ingredient you are using.

Step 5. Soak Overnight For stronger colors, leave fibers in dye bath overnight, but if in a rush, a few hours will yield lighter colors. Don’t agitate the fibers too much, and avoid wringing or smashing wet fibers. Gently stir to avoid felting.

Step 6. Wring Out Gently to Dry Gently remove from the dye bath, gingerly squeezing excess dye liquid from the fibers. Rinse in a bowl of cool water to rinse away excess dye and remove any solids that may have been missed in the straining process. Continue until water runs clear.

Step 7. Air Dry Hang to air dry, turning fibers 1-2 daily to ensure it completely dries. Try to avoid direct sunlight to keep colors from fading, and keep a fan on or a window open to allow good airflow.

Step 8. Craft Once it’s bone dry, use it in a project or display as the project.

I decided to use my soy-mordanted, food-dyed yarn to hand-knit 175 camp cotton rounds, creating a truly natural, zero-waste alternative to disposable cotton pads. Each round carries the warmth of slow craft, the subtle hues of avocado, walnuts, and turmeric, and the gentle touch of fibers prepared with care. These rounds aren’t just functional—they’re a small, intentional act of sustainability, a bridge between traditional craft, backcountry practicality, and everyday mindful living.

Troubleshooting Dyes

Natural dyeing isn’t a straight path—it’s more like wandering through the woods with a basket in hand. Sometimes you come home with bright, delicious treasures, other times with weird stains and plans that fall through immediately. That’s part of the adventure. Here’s how to read the signs along the way and get back on track:

If your colors look dull or faded… It’s like picking berries past their season—they just don’t pop. Often it’s a weak mordant, old dyestuff, or not enough cure time. Try letting soy-mordanted fibers rest longer, working with fresh peels and skins, or dipping your yarn a second time to build depth.

If your dye looks uneven… Think of it like muddy footprints after a rain: clumps and tangles leave their mark. Uneven dye usually comes from poor pre-washing or fibers sticking together in the bath. A good scrub with pH-neutral soap, gentle stirring, or working in smaller batches will smooth things out. Try wrapping skeins into loose bundles rather than tight balls.

If the color shifts over time… Some dyes are like fleeting sunsets—beets and red cabbage especially. They glow, then fade. Enjoy them for temporary projects (like dyeing eggs or paper), but don’t expect them to last on textiles. For longer wear, store dyed fibers out of direct light.

If the fabric feels stiff… Too much soy or alum can weigh the fabric down, leaving it crunchy. Rinse thoroughly, let it air dry, or give it a light wash with pH-neutral soap to soften things back up.

If the fabric feels sticky or gummy… That’s a sign of over-concentrated soy. Dilute your soy bath more, or let the fibers soak longer between layers.

If the dye doesn’t stick at all… Check your trail map: did you start with natural fibers? Mordanted properly? Over-processed cotton or synthetics won’t hold food dyes. Stick to wool, linen, hemp, or untreated cotton, and scour/mordant carefully.

Pro Tips for Success

Let it cure. Especially with soy, patience is gold. Rest fibers 5–7 days after mordanting.
Take it slow. Natural dyes bloom over time. Overnight soaks deepen shades beautifully.
Use soft water. Hard water changes the path—sometimes dulling or shifting colors.

Aftercare & Washing Instructions

Like any handmade gear, dyed fibers deserve gentle care:

First rinse: Cool water until clear; mild soap is fine.
Future washes: Hand wash cold or run a delicate cycle with a natural soap.
Drying: Air dry, out of direct sun.
Avoid harsh detergents: Bleach, enzymes, and brighteners will strip color and undo your work.

Bonus Guide - Kid-Safe Egg Dyeing

Spring (whether you celebrate Easter or not) is a perfect time to celebrate color, nature, and tradition - and what better way than to dye eggs with ingredients pulled straight from the pantry or garden? This section is designed with tiny hands and curious hearts in mind: safe, simple, and naturally wonderful.

Why Natural Dyes for Eggs? Most commercial egg dyes are petroleum-based and synthetic. While they’re bright, they are not always safe for kids (especially little ones who love to “sample” the art). Natural egg dyeing offers:

non-toxic, food-based colorants
gentle, muted tones full of personality
a chance to teach about foods, plants, and patience

You Will Need:

hard-boiled eggs (white or brown)
natural dye ingredients (see chart
above)
White Vinegar (this is our mordant)
Water
A saucepan
bowls or cups for dipping
spoons or tongs
optional but recommended: crayons
or beeswax for designs

Step 1. Make Dye Bath In a saucepan, combine 1-2 cups (tbsp if using powders) of dye material, 2 cups water, and 1 tbsp of vinegar.

Step 2. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes. Strain into bowls and let cool.

Optional Step: Draw on eggs with a white crayon/beeswax for patterns and shapes.

Step 3. Dye the Eggs Place cooled hard-boiled eggs into a cooled dye bath.

Step 4. Let sit for 30 min (up to overnight) in the fridge (the longer, the richer the color)

Step 5. Remove with a spoon and let dry.

Safety Tips for Crafting with Kids:

Always supervise young children when using hot liquids.
Let the dye bath cool before allowing kids to dip.
Wear aprons or old clothes - natural dyes CAN and WILL still stain.
Use pre-boiled, cooled eggs for easier handling.
Leftover dye baths can be composted.

Enjoyed this guide? Bring the spirit of wild color into your daily life with my handknit Camp Cotton Rounds—soy-mordanted, food-dyed, and made for a no-waste routine. Durable enough for the backcountry, soft enough for home.

Get 10% off your first purchase with code WELCOME10

Download the Guide Here!