Natural Dyeing at home - 5 colours you can create from items found in your kitchen

Natural dyeing at home is a fun D.I.Y project that is easy and inexpensive. Whether you want to spice up your wardrobe or want to avoid buying new clothes, this is for you. Before we start exploring some colours you can find in the kitchen, let’s make sure you are dyeing the right kind of fabric. 

Natural dyes bond better to natural fibres. To achieve the best results, make sure you’re using fabric that is made up of non-synthetic fibres. There are two categories of natural fibres; protein (wool, silk, and soybean) and cellulosic (cotton, flax/ linen, and hemp). If you’re using a piece of clothing you already own, find its content label and make sure it’s made from the right fibre. 

Now that we have covered what kind of fabric to dye, let’s explore the possible natural dyes you can create from items found in your kitchen.

Turmeric

Commonly used in curries, turmeric powder is great for attaining naturally bright yellow dyes. Be careful when using this spice as it may stain skin or other fabrics it comes in contact with during the dyeing process. The more turmeric powder you use, the more pigmented your dye bath may become. 

Avocado

Avocados are naturally great for dyeing. Go ahead and enjoy your guac because we’ll only be using the skins and stones (seeds) for this one. The skins and stones both create different colours. For a rosy orange, use the stones for dyeing. If you’re looking to achieve a soft red, then you’ll be utilizing the skins. By using the inedible parts of an avocado, you’re reducing your carbon footprint by creating less waste!

Tea

Time to spill the tea on tea. Teas are a no brainer for natural dyeing. They enrich your hot cup with beautiful colours and will do the same for your D.I.Y projects. Not all teas will give you the same colour as they brew, so make sure you’re choosing one that’s right for you. Black tea brews a deep brown but will create an orange dye. Rooibus brews an amber colour and creates a light brown dye.

Pomegranate

Known as a symbol of love in antiquity, this fruit creates a love-ly natural dye. We all know how difficult it is to cut up a pomegranate, but rest assured it is easy to attain a yellow dye by using those left-over leathery skins. 

Red Onions

This tearjerker will have you crying tears of joy after seeing the beautiful colours it can produce. Save the skins from your red onions and help yourself to easy natural rosy dyes. All those tears will be worth reducing your waste at home, so don’t sweat it!

**Bonus**

If you aren’t already enticed by the possibilities these kitchen items have, try tie dying. Fun and easy to do, tie dyeing is a simple method to make your clothes look stylish and groovy. Shop our natural tie dyed Lismer Long Sleeve Shirt at https://www.libertyclothing.com/collections/highline/products/tie-dye-lismer-long-sleeve-shirt-1