Natural Dyes: Everything You Need to Know
Natural dyes are colorants made from plants, minerals, fungi, lichens and insects. People have used them for thousands of years to color textiles, and today they are loved again by textile artists, small brands and home dyers who want beautiful, living colors from renewable sources. This guide explains what natural dyes are, how they work, which ones to start with and how to use them on fabric.
What is a natural dye?
A natural dye is a color extracted from a natural source rather than made from petrochemicals. Most natural dyes come from plants: roots such as madder, leaves such as indigo and weld, flowers such as safflower, seeds and berries such as buckthorn, and barks, hulls and peels such as black walnut and pomegranate. A few come from insects (cochineal) or lichens.
Natural dyes by color
- Reds and pinks: madder, safflower, cochineal. Shop natural red dyes
- Yellows and oranges: weld, buckthorn, onion skins, pomegranate. Shop natural yellow dyes
- Blues: indigo and woad. Shop natural blue dyes
- Browns, grays and blacks: walnut, oak gall, acorn, pine bark, with iron for darker tones. Shop natural brown and black dyes
- Greens and purples: made by overdyeing (yellow over blue for green) or with iron (madder or sumac for purples).
For a full list with the colors each dye gives, read natural dyes you can use to color your fabrics.
How natural dyes work
Natural dyes are often grouped by how they attach to the fiber:
Substantive (direct) dyes
These bond to the fiber without a mordant. Tannin-rich dyes such as walnut hulls, oak galls and pomegranate are substantive, and indigo is a special case: it is a vat dye that attaches to the fiber as it oxidizes in the air. See 4 natural dyes that don't need a mordant.
Adjective (mordant) dyes
Most natural dyes, including madder, weld and cochineal, need a mordant, usually alum, to bind to the fiber and become wash- and lightfast. The mordant also changes the color: the same madder bath can give red with alum and purple with iron. Learn how in our guide to mordants for natural dyeing.
Which fibers can you dye?
Natural dyes work best on natural fibers. Wool and silk (protein fibers) take color easily. Cotton, linen and hemp (cellulose fibers) need a tannin and alum mordant for strong color. Synthetic fibers such as polyester do not take natural dyes. Browse our undyed fabrics and blanks, prepared for natural dyeing.
How to dye fabric with natural dyes: the basic steps
- Scour the fabric to remove oils, starch and finishes. See how to prepare fabric for natural dyeing.
- Mordant it: alum for wool and silk, or tannin and alum for cotton and linen.
- Prepare the dye bath with dye powder or extract and warm water.
- Dye the wet fabric at the right temperature, then let it cool in the bath.
- Rinse and wash with a pH-neutral soap and dry in the shade.
Want to skip the measuring? Our natural dye kits include everything you need for your first project.
Raw dyes or extracts?
Raw natural dyes are dried, ground plant material such as root, leaf or peel powders. They are traditional and give complex, warm tones, but you need a lot of material (often 50–100% WOF). Natural dye extracts are concentrated powders: you need only 2–10% WOF, they dissolve completely and they are easy to use for printing and painting. Read how to dye fabric with natural extracts.
Are natural dyes colorfast?
Yes, when you choose good dyes and mordant properly. Madder, weld, indigo, walnut and cochineal have very good light and wash fastness; they colored carpets and tapestries that are still bright after centuries. Some dyes, such as onion skins, turmeric or many flower petals, are less lightfast and fade more quickly. Natural colors change gently over time rather than staying exactly the same, which many people love. To keep them bright, wash cool with a pH-neutral soap and dry out of direct sunlight.
Why choose natural dyes?
- Renewable sources: plants, roots and by-products such as peels, hulls and bark.
- Beautiful, complex colors: natural dyes contain several color compounds, so their shades have depth and harmonize well together.
- Fewer harsh chemicals: with simple mordants such as alum and iron, natural dyeing avoids many of the chemicals used in synthetic dyeing.
- Craft and tradition: every batch is a little different, and you can dye at home with simple tools.
Natural dyes also have limits: they cost more, take more time and give less predictable results than synthetic dyes. Read our honest comparison: natural dyes vs. synthetic dyes: 8 differences.
About themazi
themazi is a family company from Turkey supplying natural dyes, tannins, mordants and undyed textiles to dyers around the world. Many of our dyes, such as madder, oak galls, buckthorn and sumac, are traditional dye plants of Anatolia. We also supply studios and brands; see our wholesale page.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common natural dyes?
Madder (red), weld (yellow), indigo (blue), and walnut and oak galls (brown to black). With these, plus overdyeing, you can make almost any color.
Do natural dyes need a mordant?
Most do. Indigo and tannin-rich dyes such as walnut can be used without one.
Are natural dyes safe?
Many are gentle, but "natural" does not always mean harmless. Wear gloves and a dust mask, use pots only for dyeing, and follow the instructions for each mordant.
What is the best natural dye for beginners?
Madder or onion skins on wool are very forgiving. For a ready-to-go start, try our madder dye kit or bundle dye kit.
Shop: All natural dyes & mordants · Natural dye kits · Undyed fabric