In a world where nature sometimes feels like it's quietly fading, the act of drawing color from plants has become a ritual of remembrance, resistance, and reverence. With the rise of the slow fashion movement, many are making the choice for intentionally made, environmentally friendly clothing options. Natural dyeing is as much about chemistry and tradition as it is about storytelling. And not all plants are storytellers—some whisper only briefly before fading, while others leave behind lasting hues and deep colors. If you’re curious on how to make natural dye from plants, then let's dive in and make a lasting imprint.
The Power Plants: Nature’s Most Reliable Dyes
Some plants have earned a place in dyeing history for their vibrant and long-lasting colors. These are the ones that hold fast to fabric, that stay true with the help of mordants, and that speak boldly through the fibers they color.
Indigo is perhaps the most legendary. Though not native to North America, it has traveled the globe on the backs of empires and enslaved labor, valued for its deep, otherworldly blue. Indigo doesn’t behave like other dyes. Its pigment is insoluble in water and must be coaxed into solubility through a reduction process. Once dipped, the cloth turns green, only to oxidize into blue before your eyes—a small alchemy.
Black walnut, by contrast, is native to North America and far less fussy. Its green husks yield rich browns and sepias without the need for mordants. It is the earth’s own ink, staining skin and cloth alike, clinging with the tenacity of memory.
Other stars of the North American landscape include goldenrod, with its sunlit yellows; coreopsis, whose cheerful flowers give oranges and rusts; and Osage orange, a tree whose heartwood spills a brilliant, lemony yellow. These plants thrive with a little care, some sunlight, and, in most cases, a pinch of alum to help their color hold. Many of these plants you can responsibly forage for natural dyes.
Plants That Fade: Beautiful But Brief
Not all plants are willing partners in the dye pot. Some, like beets and red cabbage, give up their color too easily, only to wash out or fade when exposed to light. While berries like strawberries and blueberries seem promising, their color is fleeting—a ghost of a hue that quickly disappears. Avocados are also popular for dye. Rich in tannins, both the pit and seed can create beautiful colors. I’ve seen some particularly catching dusty roses come from avocado skins, and although it's beginner friendly and doesn’t require a mordant… it certainly will make the colors richer and more likely to last.
These plants can still be used in storytelling—performance, or symbolic ritual—but they do not stand the test of time.
Woad: Europe’s Quiet Indigo
Long before indigo conquered the global dye trade, Europe relied on woad (Isatis tinctoria) for blue. The plant was infamously famous for the Picts painting their bodies a vibrant blue before battle. A less potent cousin of indigo, woad contains the same pigment but in smaller doses. Its dye can be coaxed from fresh leaves for pale blues or processed like indigo for richer tones.
Unlike tropical indigo, woad grows well in temperate climates, making it a resilient choice for small-scale or home dyers in northern regions. If you plant in the spring once there is no worry of frost, it should be ready for harvest in July, once leaves are at least 6 inches long. It requires the same reduction-oxidation dance but is often seen as more sustainable and beginner-friendly. I literally forgot about and essentially abused my woad it it just did not die.
Mordants and Magic
To make color last, most natural dyes need help. Mordants like alum, iron, and tannin act as bridges between the plant pigments and the fibers. Each can shift and deepen the final color: alum brightens, iron darkens, and tannin strengthens the bond on cellulose fibers like cotton and linen. Even kitchen staples like vinegar or baking soda can nudge a dye bath into new territory.
What Is a Vat Dye—and Why Does It Need Special Treatment?
Vat dyes are natural pigments that are not water-soluble in their raw form. That means you can’t just simmer the plant and expect the fabric to absorb the color. Instead, these dyes—like indigo and woad—must go through a reduction process that removes oxygen and changes the dye into a form that can stick to fabric. Once your fabric is dipped and removed from the vat, it reacts with oxygen in the air and the color appears like magic!
Photo credit @gatherwhatspills
How to Use a Vat Dye (The Easier Version)
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Make the vat:
Combine indigo powder with an alkali (like soda ash or lime) and a reducing agent (like fructose, iron, or sodium hydrosulfite). Keep it warm and low on oxygen.
→ The dye liquid should turn green-yellow (not blue!). -
Pre-wet your fabric:
Helps the dye soak in evenly. -
Dip the fabric:
Submerge for 1–10 minutes. Pull it out gently. -
Watch it turn blue:
As the dye oxidizes, it changes color on the fabric.
Multiple dips = deeper blue. - Rinse and dry. You’ve just dyed with indigo!
Note: Woad uses the same process but requires more plant matter (like a lot) for strong color.
Although the vat dyes seem like a lot of work to start off, they really are a self sustaining creature after the initial work. Vat Dyes can be maintained for months and probably even years, allowing you to create countless pieces from your vat. I am unsure why, but the dream of having my own indigo vat is one that I circle back to every few years… yes, I dream of blue, lots and lots of it.
Infusion Dyes (Boiling, Simmering, or Steeping in Water)
These dyes are water-soluble or easily extracted by heat. You can usually just simmer the plant matter, strain it, and use the resulting liquid. This process is going to be much more user friendly, a great place to start for the novice dyer.
Common Boil/Steep Dyes:
- Black walnut hulls – rich browns (no mordant needed)
- Goldenrod – yellow
- Marigold – golden yellow
- Coreopsis – orange/rust
- Onion skins – golden, copper, and green (outer skins only)
- Avocado pits and skins – pinks
- Osage orange – bright yellow (from the wood)
- Chamomile – soft yellow
- Madder root – deep reds (can also be fermented for deeper tones)
- Cochineal (insect, not plant) – hot pinks and reds (works well with boiling + mordant)
- These are often used with alum, iron, or tannin as a mordant.
The world of natural dyeing is deeply personal. It asks you to slow down, to pay attention, to listen to the plants. Whether you are pulling sepia from a fallen walnut or indigo from a bubbling vat, you are participating in something old, sacred, and vanishing. So don’t rush, get dirty, and have fun experimenting with these colors from the land. There is nothing quite better than creating something with your hands and the pride of looking at your own unique creation.