top of page

Natural Dyes:
Coffee, Tea, Pickled Beetroots and Red Onion Skins

Natural Dyes:
Celery, Avocado, Coffee, Red Onion Skins, Tea, Spinach, Turmeric and Purple Cabbage

The skins of 72 red onions went into dyeing 2 metres of a cotton/linen blend





500g of purple cabbage was simmered down to create a soft lilac colour on a double wool crepe


To avoid shrinkage, the dye bath was allowed to cool completely before submerging the wool

Depending on lighting the wool could appear a light cream or a darker purple

The cabbage dye was heat reactive and turned a stronger lilac colour when steam was applied



Trials to achieve a green colour involved kale, a faint yellow tint resulted

Trials to achieve a green colour involved English spinach, a faint yellow tint resulted

Purple cabbage reacts when combined with bicarb soda. 1 teaspoon was added.

Cabbage quickly changed to a bright electric blue upon contact with bicarb soda

Boiling resulted in a bright electric blue water

If left to continue boiling, mixture continued to change to a bright green, and eventually to a subdued brown.
bottom of page