Natural Dyes and Mordants
The Old Art of Turning Plants, Minerals, and Kitchen Scraps Into Living Color
There is something almost magical about natural dyeing.
A pot of onion skins becomes gold.
Black walnut hulls become brown.
Madder root becomes red.
Weld becomes yellow.
Indigo becomes blue.
Marigolds, avocado pits, sumac, goldenrod, tea, acorns, and berries all begin to look different once we understand that color may be hiding inside them.
For the Simples & Worts Herbal Apothecary community, natural dyeing is a perfect meeting place between herbs, history, craft, the kitchen, the garden, and the older household arts. It is practical and beautiful. It rewards patience. It encourages us to notice plants more closely. And it reminds us that the old herbal world was never only about teas, tinctures, and seasonings. Plants were also used to color cloth, yarn, thread, paper, baskets, leather, and everyday objects.
Natural dyeing is the art of extracting color from natural materials and transferring that color to fiber. A mordant is the substance that helps bind the dye to the fiber so the color lasts longer and resists washing and fading.
That is the simple version.
The richer version is this: natural dyeing is a conversation among plant, water, heat, fiber, mineral, time, and human judgment.
And once you begin, you may never look at a compost pile, herb garden, or woodland path in quite the same way again.
A Very Old Household Art
Before synthetic dyes transformed the textile world in the 19th century, color came from nature. People used plants, insects, lichens, minerals, bark, leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, hulls, and wood. Some colors were common and local. Others were costly, traded, guarded, taxed, or treated as luxury goods.
Dyeing was not just a decorative craft. It was part of daily life and commerce.
Color could signal:
Wealth
Trade connections
Regional identity
Occupation
Religious use
Military rank
Household skill
Fashion
Ceremony
Mourning
Celebration
A plain homespun cloth might be left undyed or colored with local materials. A wealthier household might have brighter, more stable, or more labor-intensive colors. A professional dyer might know secrets of timing, mordanting, repeated dipping, and combining materials to produce colors that ordinary households could not easily repeat.
For the modern herbal maker, natural dyeing reconnects us with that world. We begin to understand why some colors were prized, why some plants were cultivated specifically for dye, and why knowledge of mordants mattered.
The color was not merely “in” the plant.
It had to be coaxed out, captured, fixed, and cared for.
What Is a Natural Dye?
A natural dye is a coloring material derived from a natural source.
Common natural dye sources include:
Flowers
Leaves
Roots
Bark
Wood
Seeds
Nuts and hulls
Fruit skins
Vegetable scraps
Tea and coffee
Lichens
Minerals
Insects, in some traditions
For our Simples & Worts purposes, we will focus mostly on plant and kitchen-based dyes.
Some famous dye plants include:
Madder for reds, rusts, and oranges
Weld for strong yellows
Woad and indigo for blues
Black walnut for browns
Onion skins for golds and ochres
Marigolds for yellows and oranges
Goldenrod for yellow
Sumac for tannin-rich color work
Avocado pits and skins for pinks and soft rose tones
Tea and coffee for tans and browns
Logwood for purples, grays, and blacks
Osage orange for yellow
Pomegranate rind for yellows, tans, and tannin-rich dyeing
Some of these are easy for beginners. Others are more complex. Indigo, for example, is famous and beautiful, but it requires a vat process that is different from a simple simmered dye bath.
For a starter project, begin with onion skins, black tea, marigolds, goldenrod, or avocado pits. They are forgiving, accessible, and rewarding.
What Is a Mordant?
A mordant is a substance that helps dye attach to fiber.
The word comes from an old idea of “biting” or “holding.” A mordant helps the color take hold more firmly. Without a mordant, some dyes wash out quickly, fade faster, or never bond well to the material.
Think of it this way:
The plant gives the color.
The fiber receives the color.
The mordant helps the relationship last.
Common mordants and mordant-like materials include:
Alum
Iron
Copper
Tannins
Soy milk, in some cellulose-fiber traditions
Cream of tartar, often used as an assistant with alum
Vinegar or salt, sometimes used for certain kitchen dye projects, though they are not true mordants in the same way alum or iron are
For beginners, alum is often considered the friendliest standard mordant for wool and other protein fibers when used properly. It helps many plant colors appear clearer and more lasting.
Iron is often used as a modifier. It can darken colors, shift yellows toward olive, soften bright tones, and create grays or charcoals with tannin-rich plants. Too much iron can weaken fibers, so it should be used lightly.
Tannins occur naturally in many plants, including oak galls, sumac, pomegranate rind, tea, and some barks and leaves. Tannins are especially useful when dyeing plant fibers such as cotton or linen.
A mordant is not merely a technical detail. It is often the difference between a pretty experiment and a usable textile.
Fiber Matters: Wool, Silk, Cotton, and Linen
Not all fibers behave the same way.
The two big categories are:
Protein fibers
These come from animals. Examples: wool, alpaca, silk.
Cellulose fibers
These come from plants. Examples: cotton, linen, hemp.
Protein fibers usually take natural dyes more readily. Wool and silk are often easier for beginners because they bond well with many natural dyes when properly mordanted.
Cellulose fibers can be more challenging. Cotton and linen often need a tannin step and careful mordanting to achieve good results.
This is one reason a beginner may feel successful dyeing wool yarn with onion skins but disappointed dyeing a cotton napkin with the same pot. The issue may not be the plant. It may be the fiber preparation.
For a first project, try:
Wool yarn
A silk scarf
Small wool felt pieces
Wool roving
Pre-mordanted cotton fabric, if available
Once you understand the basics, move on to cotton and linen with more confidence.
The Basic Natural Dye Process
Natural dyeing can become very sophisticated, but the basic process is easy to understand.
Step 1: Prepare the fiber
The fiber should be clean. This is called scouring.
Even new fabric or yarn may contain oils, spinning residues, sizing, or dirt that block dye from taking evenly.
Wool should be washed gently. Cotton and linen may need a more thorough wash.
Step 2: Mordant the fiber
The mordant step prepares the fiber to receive the dye.
For wool, a common beginner method is to soak the wool in warm water with dissolved alum, then heat gently and allow it to cool in the mordant bath.
For cotton and linen, a tannin step may come first, followed by alum or another mordanting approach.
Step 3: Prepare the dye material
Chop, crush, soak, or simmer the plant material depending on what it is.
Some materials benefit from soaking overnight. Others can be simmered for an hour or two.
Step 4: Make the dye bath
Simmer the plant material in water, then strain out solids if desired. The colored liquid becomes the dye bath.
Step 5: Dye the fiber
Add the wet, mordanted fiber to the dye bath. Heat gently. Avoid shocking wool with sudden temperature changes, which can cause felting.
Let the fiber sit in the dye bath until the desired color develops.
Step 6: Cool, rinse, and dry
Let the fiber cool. Rinse gently until the water runs mostly clear. Dry away from harsh direct sun.
Step 7: Record everything
This is the most important step if you want to learn.
Write down:
Plant material
Amount used
Fiber type
Mordant
Water amount
Heating time
Soaking time
Color result
Any modifiers used
Final impression
Natural dyeing rewards note-taking.
Without notes, a beautiful color becomes a lucky accident. With notes, it becomes a recipe.
A Simple Beginner Dye Project: Onion Skin Gold
Onion skins are one of the best beginner dye materials. They are easy to collect, safe to handle in ordinary kitchen conditions, and surprisingly generous with color.
Materials
Dry yellow onion skins
Clean wool yarn or small fabric sample
Alum-mordanted fiber
Stainless steel pot
Water
Spoon or tongs
Strainer
Method
Collect a good handful or two of dry onion skins. The more skins, the richer the color.
Place them in a pot and cover with water. Simmer gently for about 45 minutes to an hour. The water should turn golden brown.
Strain out the skins if you want a cleaner bath.
Add your wetted, mordanted fiber. Simmer gently, without boiling hard, until the color looks good. This may take 30 minutes to an hour.
Let the fiber cool in the dye bath for deeper color.
Rinse gently and dry.
Color results
Yellow onion skins may produce:
Gold
Honey
Ochre
Warm tan
Bronze-orange tones
Onion skin dye is the kind of project that makes a person say, “Wait — that came from kitchen scraps?”
Yes, it did.
That is the delight.
Natural Dye Plants for the Simples & Worts Garden
A dye garden can be its own special feature, or dye plants can be woven into a cottage garden, herb border, potager, or edible landscape.
Here are some lovely candidates.
Marigold
Marigolds are cheerful, easy, and useful for yellow and golden tones. For a softer Simples & Worts palette, choose cream, pale yellow, or muted varieties, though the stronger orange types can produce more intense dye.
Calendula
Calendula is a classic herbal flower and a good bridge between apothecary tradition and dye work. It can produce soft yellows and golden tones.
Coreopsis
Coreopsis can produce strong yellows, oranges, and sometimes warmer tones. It is a beautiful dye plant, though the colors may be bolder than a soft cottage palette.
Goldenrod
Goldenrod is excellent for yellow. It is also pollinator-friendly and abundant in many places. Be sure you are harvesting responsibly and correctly identifying the plant.
Madder
Madder root is famous for reds, corals, pinks, rusts, and oranges depending on method and mordant. It is a classic dye plant worth exploring if you become serious.
Weld
Weld is one of the great traditional yellow dye plants. It is not always as common in modern gardens, but it deserves a place in a dedicated dye bed.
Woad
Woad is a traditional blue dye plant, though processing it is more involved than simmering onion skins. It is historically fascinating.
Black Walnut
Black walnut hulls produce rich browns and can often dye without a separate mordant because they contain strong tannins. They are powerful, staining, and messy — in the best possible way.
Sumac
Sumac is useful because it is tannin-rich. It can support dye processes and produce soft tones depending on method.
Hollyhock
Dark hollyhocks can produce interesting colors, sometimes gray, blue, purple, or muted tones, though results vary.
Avocado Pits and Skins
Avocado pits and skins can produce soft pinks, rose, peach, or blush tones. This is a favorite modern natural dye project because the results can feel surprisingly romantic.
Mordants in More Detail
Mordants deserve respect.
They are useful, but they should be handled carefully. Natural dyeing is often described as gentle and earthy, and it can be, but mordants are still chemical substances.
Always label materials clearly. Do not use dye pots for food afterward unless you are only working with food-safe materials and no mordants. Many serious dyers keep dedicated dye equipment.
Wear gloves when appropriate. Avoid breathing powders. Keep children and pets away from mordant materials. Follow supplier directions.
Alum
Alum is commonly used in natural dyeing. It often produces clear, bright colors and is a good starting mordant for wool.
Iron
Iron darkens and shifts colors. It can turn yellows to olive, tans to gray, and tannin-rich dyes toward black or charcoal.
Use iron lightly. Too much can make fiber harsh or brittle over time.
Copper
Copper has historical use but is less beginner-friendly and carries more safety and environmental concerns. I would not recommend it as a starting mordant for casual home dyers.
Tannin
Tannin is especially important for cotton and linen. Tannin-rich materials include oak galls, sumac, pomegranate rind, tea, and some barks.
Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar is often used with alum on wool. It can help soften fiber and influence color brightness, depending on the recipe.
Modifiers: Changing the Color After Dyeing
A modifier is used to shift a color after dyeing.
For example, a yellow-dyed wool sample dipped briefly in iron water may turn olive green or gray-green.
Modifiers can be fascinating because they show how one dye bath can produce several colors.
Common modifiers include:
Iron water
Vinegar
Baking soda
Copper, with caution
pH changes
A simple experiment might produce three samples from one dye bath:
Original color
Iron-modified color
Vinegar or alkaline-shifted color
This is a wonderful educational project for a garden club, craft group, or Simples & Worts workshop.
The Beauty of Imperfection
Synthetic dyes are often predictable. Natural dyes are more alive.
Results vary with:
Plant variety
Soil
Season
Fresh or dried material
Water chemistry
Fiber type
Mordant
Pot material
Heat
Time
pH
Harvest stage
This is not a flaw. It is part of the beauty.
Natural dyeing teaches us to pay attention.
The same marigold may not produce exactly the same yellow every time. Avocado pits may turn pink one day and beige another. Black walnut may produce deep brown on wool but a lighter tan on cotton. Iron may shift a color beautifully or make it too dull.
The dyer learns by doing.
That is why sample cards are so valuable.
Make a Natural Dye Sample Book
For Simples & Worts members, one of the best projects is a natural dye sample book.
Use small squares of fabric or short lengths of yarn.
For each sample, record:
Dye plant
Part used
Fresh or dried
Fiber type
Mordant
Date
Time in dye bath
Modifier
Final color
Notes
Attach the sample to an index card or page.
Over time, this becomes your personal color apothecary.
It is beautiful, practical, and deeply satisfying.
A dye sample book also makes an excellent small business or workshop teaching tool. It lets people see the range of colors possible from familiar plants.
Natural Dyeing as a Homestead Skill
Natural dyeing belongs beautifully in a modern homesteading life.
It encourages:
Growing useful flowers
Saving kitchen scraps
Learning plant identification
Reducing waste
Making gifts
Creating seasonal crafts
Teaching children about plants
Recording observations
Connecting garden and household
Imagine a Roadstead Farms workshop where guests collect marigolds, onion skins, black walnut hulls, lavender stems, and goldenrod, then dye small silk scarves, wool yarn, or linen ribbons.
Imagine a Simples & Worts gift set with naturally dyed ribbon around herbal sachets or tea blends.
Imagine a cottage garden border that is not only beautiful but capable of producing dye for fabric, thread, or paper.
This is how the old household arts become modern again.
Not as nostalgia.
As useful beauty.
Natural Dye Safety Notes
Natural does not automatically mean harmless.
Some plants are toxic. Some mordants require caution. Some dye materials stain heavily. Some fumes or powders should be avoided. Some plants should not be harvested from roadsides, polluted ground, treated lawns, or protected areas.
Basic safety rules:
Correctly identify all plants.
Use dedicated dye pots and tools.
Keep mordants labeled and away from children and pets.
Wear gloves when handling mordants or strong dyes.
Avoid breathing mordant powders.
Do not dump mordant baths irresponsibly.
Research local disposal guidance when using metal salts.
Do not use toxic plants casually.
Never assume a plant is safe because it is pretty.
Do not eat dye plants unless they are known edible plants prepared appropriately.
For beginners, start with simple, familiar materials such as onion skins, tea, coffee, marigolds, and avocado pits.
Build confidence before handling more advanced mordants or dye processes.
A Beginner’s Natural Dye Kit
Here is a simple starter kit:
Dedicated stainless steel pot
Wooden or stainless spoon
Fine mesh strainer
Gloves
Kitchen scale
Measuring spoons
Glass jars
Labels
Notebook
Alum mordant
Cream of tartar, optional
Wool yarn or fabric samples
Onion skins
Black tea
Marigold flowers
Avocado pits and skins
With this small kit, you can begin exploring color immediately.
Five Easy Natural Dye Experiments
1. Onion Skin Gold
Use yellow onion skins on alum-mordanted wool.
2. Tea Tan
Use strong black tea on cotton or wool for soft beige, tan, or antique tones.
3. Avocado Pink
Simmer cleaned avocado pits and skins slowly for blush or rose tones.
4. Marigold Yellow
Use fresh or dried marigold petals for yellow and gold.
5. Walnut Brown
Use black walnut hulls for strong browns. Wear gloves and use dedicated tools.
Each of these teaches a different lesson.
Onion teaches abundance.
Tea teaches simplicity.
Avocado teaches surprise.
Marigold teaches garden color.
Walnut teaches strength.
Natural Dyes and the Herbal Lifestyle
Natural dyeing fits the Simples & Worts world because it is about relationship.
We learn which plants stain.
Which flowers give color.
Which roots hold history.
Which leaves contain tannins.
Which kitchen scraps still have value.
Which fibers receive color willingly.
Which mordants clarify, darken, or strengthen.
Which experiments are worth repeating.
It is slow enough to make us pay attention.
That may be the greatest gift.
In a fast world, natural dyeing asks us to simmer, soak, wait, rinse, dry, observe, and try again.
It is not instant.
But neither is a garden.
Sidebar: Best Starter Dye Plants for a Simples & Worts Garden
For a beginner dye garden, try:
Calendula
Marigold
Coreopsis
Goldenrod
Madder
Weld
Hollyhock
Sunflower petals
Black-eyed Susan
Purple basil, experimentally
Sumac, where appropriate
Dyer’s chamomile
Blend these into your ornamental and herbal beds. A dye garden does not have to look like a work area. It can be beautiful.
Sidebar: What Colors Can You Expect?
Natural dyes often produce softer, earthier colors than modern synthetic dyes.
Expect:
Gold
Ochre
Tan
Brown
Olive
Soft yellow
Peach
Rose
Rust
Gray
Mauve
Blue, with special processes
Green, often through overdyeing or modification
Very bright, permanent, electric colors are not usually the goal.
The charm is in subtlety.
Natural color looks as if it belongs to the world.
Closing Thoughts
Natural dyes and mordants invite us into one of the oldest and most beautiful household arts.
They teach that color is not only purchased. It can be grown, gathered, saved, simmered, and coaxed from ordinary things.
A basket of onion skins.
A handful of marigolds.
A jar of avocado pits.
A windfall of black walnuts.
A row of dye flowers in the garden.
A skein of wool waiting quietly in a pot.
This is the kind of work that makes a person feel connected: to plants, to textiles, to history, to the kitchen, to the garden, and to the patient wisdom of making something by hand.
The starter herb garden leads naturally to the dye garden.
The dye garden leads to craft.
Craft leads to gifts.
Gifts lead to stories.
Stories lead to community.
That is the Simples & Worts way.
Grow something useful.
Learn what it offers.
Treat it with respect.
Share the beauty.
Until Next Time…
I am…
Phil Wilson…
And, Here’s to Living an Herbal Lifestyle With You!