Clothes dyed with marigold petals hang out to dry. Photo by Jenevra Wetmore.
Textile production is a dirty and harmful industry. The industry is responsible for 20% of global water pollution and releases toxic wastewater filled with synthetic dyes, heavy metals, and microplastics into our waterways. As fast fashion and disposable clothing have become the norm in our culture, the amount of fabric we go through has continued to grow.
Natural dyes are a gentler way to get vibrant color in our textiles. These dyes can be made from leaves, roots, bark, seeds, fruit, mushrooms, lichen, clay/rocks, and even insects. They can be a bit more unpredictable, but that is part of the fun, and where experimentation comes into the process. Many native and non-native plants in Vermont make beautiful dyes, and there are also foods that you probably have in your kitchen that can be used. Black beans will make beautiful shades of blue, and onion skins make a variety of colors depending on which type is used and what else is added.
For best results with natural dyes, choose a natural fabric such as wool, cotton, flax, or linen rather than using synthetic fabrics. Finding white cotton shirts and napkins at a thrift store and dyeing them with plants can be a great way to make unique gifts for friends and family. You can increase the strength of the color and alter it with mordants. Mordants are something added to the dye pot, often but not always a metal, that binds to both the fabric and the dye to increase the color-fastness. Some common examples of mordants are alum, iron, and wood ash.
Not all plants will make a great dye. Some, such as certain berries, will look beautiful for a very short period and then fade quickly. There are a lot of helpful resources to learn about natural dye sources and how to sustainably harvest them. The Norman Williams Public Library has several great books on the topic.
One of my favorite ways to work with plant dyes is to find an invasive species that makes a nice dye color and combine a day of invasive species removal with an outdoor dye project. I have not tried this plant myself yet, but I have read that our invasive Japanese Knotweed makes beautiful dyes in shades of golden yellow to rust pink. Some of the most vibrant natural dyes I have seen come from lichen, however these are usually from very slow-growing species. It’s best to use lichen in very limited amounts to avoid having a negative effect on their populations. A beautiful aspect of working with nature to create dyes is that it builds our connection and awareness to the fields and forests around us.
This Saturday, Dec 6th from 1-3 PM, we invite you to a Sustainable Crafting and Community Gathering at the Taftsville Chapel. We will have various crafting stations set up, including a pot of black walnut dye that makes a lovely brown color. If you would like to try out walnut dyeing, bring in washed items such as bandanas, t-shirts, or cloth napkins that are made of cotton, linen, flax, or wool. Please also bring a plastic bag to wrap up wet dyed items to take home. Other activities at our event include making wreaths and door swags, pine cone bird feeders, upcycled centerpieces, potato stamps, enjoying hot cider, and sharing in a cookie potluck. Please register at sustainablewoodstock.org.