Natural dyeing
Coloring fabric and yarn with plants, food scraps and other natural materials.
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Startup cost
Under $25
Difficulty
Some practice needed
Typical session
~120 min
Activity
Light movement
Space
A dedicated corner or room
Equipment
A basic kit
What do you actually do?
- Prepare fiber with a mordant so color sticks
- Simmer dye from onion skins, avocado pits, plants
- Try bundle dyeing and eco-printing with leaves
Why people enjoy it
- Kitchen scraps become color
- Surprising, varied results
- Connects to plants and seasons
What you'll need
- Natural fiber (cotton, wool, silk)
- Large pot used only for dyeing
- Alum mordant
- Onion skins or avocado pits to start
Startup cost: Under $25 — a rough beginner estimate in US dollars (2026). Borrowing, secondhand and library kits can bring it down.
Time & difficulty
A typical session is about 120 minutes. Some practice needed: first tries are wobbly, but a few sessions make a real difference.
Getting started
- Save onion skins for a few weeks
- Scour and mordant a cotton or wool scrap
- Simmer skins, strain, then add fiber
- Rinse and compare colors in a notebook
Common beginner mistakes
- Skipping the mordant so color washes out
- Using cooking pots for dye
- Dyeing synthetic fabric, which won't take natural dye
Accessibility
Involves hot water and lifting wet fabric; ventilate and never reuse dye pots for food.
Courses & resources
We haven't verified specific courses yet, so we're not listing any rather than guessing. Libraries, community centers and the official sites of tools you use are good first stops.