Natural Brown Dyes

Natural brown and black dyes for fabric come from tannin-rich plants. Black walnut hull powder gives warm tan to chocolate brown, often without a mordant. Acorn and red pine bark extracts give earthy and pink-brown tones. Oak galls and sumac with a little iron give soft greys to deep black.

How to dye natural black

A true natural black is built in layers: a strong tannin bath, then an iron bath, repeated until you reach the depth you want. Overdyeing with indigo gives the deepest blue-blacks.

Browns on any fiber

Tannin dyes work on cotton and linen as well as wool and silk, which makes them ideal for neutral, timeless colors and for dye-ready blanks.

For greys and true blacks, see our natural black and grey dyes and the natural black dye guide. For walnut recipes, read the black walnut dye guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does walnut dye need a mordant?

Walnut is rich in tannin and dyes without a mordant, but alum gives more even, lightfast results.

How do I make grey with natural dyes?

Dye with a tannin such as oak gall or sumac, then dip in a weak iron bath.

Can I make ink from these dyes?

Yes. Oak gall and iron make traditional iron gall ink; add gum arabic to thicken it.

Explore more: Natural Tannins · All Natural Dyes

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