Q&A for How to Make Natural Dyes

If you use metals or acids in a dying process to extract brighter colors, these substances can leave a highly toxic residue that affects the integrity of the metal. The amount of salt and/or vinegar used for dying create chemical reactions that can change the toxicity level of something normally considered safe to ingest or cook with. A metal pot used for dying will degrade at a faster rate than one used solely for food, especially if it has a non-stick coating. Small particles could leach into your food and make you very, very sick, so it's better to be safe and dedicate one pot for dying and store it outside the kitchen so it's not used for cooking by mistake.

You can use pretty much any berry, as long as it is fresh.

To loosen the fibers of the fabric and allow the dye to set in better. Natural fabrics, such as wool and cotton, work best.

Yes, but the tones might be a bit muted when compared to artificial dyes.

Fold the cloth with elastic bands, and put the fabric on the dye.

Dry your roses by hanging them upside down for a week, then crush the petals into a fine powder. You can get pure, ground turmeric in the spice section at the grocery. Mix the turmeric into the rose powder a tiny bit at a time (turmeric is a very strong color) until the powder is the color you want. Use vinegar and water according to the directions above. (Salt is for fruit.)

It depends a lot on what mordant you used and on the exact chemical specifics of the pigment. Many natural dyes are more or less permanent (keep them out of strong sunlight, hand wash lightly and they should stay bright for a long time).

Yes. You can use berries to dye hair, but it won't be permanent (it usually will last 3-4 washes).

The smell of vinegar fades. You normally use it to neutralize bad smells.

If you want to make a dye to change the color of your food, you can use berries, beetroot, turmeric...essentially anything edible that stains.

You can. Just soak it for a while first, and then wash it thoroughly by hand.

Quite a few plants can be used to produce dyes. For orange dyes, you could use carrot and yellow onion skin. For red, try autumn leaves and bedstraw root. For black, use walnut hulls. For pink, use rose petals. Always remember to set the color so that it doesn’t fade.

You could try cocoa powder. I haven't tried it for dying fabric, but I've used it to make black mascara. You could experiment with charcoal (NOT the BBQ kind...get the natural, no chemical kind). You could also try mixing as many different dark fruits, veggies and ground espresso beans together as you can. Let them soak overnight after bringing them to a boil and turning the heat down to a simmer for a couple of hours.

When dyeing fabric with plants, many are very poisonous if ingested. Plus, many items used may have been grown with chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, etc. You may not be able to wash a pot well enough to counteract the chemical reactions or guarantee no residue of the poison remains. Many chemicals may not be released and cleaned even with hot water. The heat from the stove can release chemicals and/or residue. The higher temperature used to cook food can transfer the poison to the food, which is consumed and the person can become sick.

Until the desired color is achieved. The longer you leave it in; the more dye will absorb into the fabric. So, it's really up to you.