Guide to Flowers Best for Natural Clothing Dye
Natural dyes made from flowers offer a sustainable and eco-friendly way to color fabrics with beautiful, earthy tones. This florist guide explores flowers that yield vibrant, long-lasting colors, along with tips for dye extraction and fabric preparation.
1. Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
Color Produced: Bright yellow to golden orange.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, wool, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Simmer fresh or dried marigold petals in water for 30–60 minutes to extract the dye.
Add alum mordant for brighter yellows.
2. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Color Produced: Pink to purplish-red.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Boil dried hibiscus flowers in water to release a rich, reddish hue.
Adjust the pH by adding vinegar (brighter red) or baking soda (bluish tones).
3. Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.)
Color Produced: Yellow, orange, or red.
Best Fabrics: Wool, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Boil the flowers to produce a strong yellow or rusty orange dye.
Mix with iron mordant for a deeper, earthy tone.
4. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Color Produced: Soft yellow to greenish-yellow.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, linen.
Dyeing Process:
Use the petals and extract color by simmering in water.
Experiment with modifiers like alum or copper for different shades.
5. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Color Produced: Yellow to pale gold.
Best Fabrics: Wool, cotton.
Dyeing Process:
Harvest flower heads and simmer in water.
Use alum mordant to enhance color vibrancy.
6. Indigofera (Indigofera tinctoria)
Color Produced: Deep blue.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, silk, wool.
Dyeing Process:
Requires a fermentation process to create the iconic indigo dye.
Submerge fabric repeatedly to achieve a darker hue.
7. Cosmos (Cosmos sulphureus)
Color Produced: Golden yellow to orange.
Best Fabrics: Silk, wool.
Dyeing Process:
Boil the flower heads to extract a vivid golden dye.
Use an alum mordant for brighter colors or iron for muted tones.
8. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Color Produced: Soft lavender to grayish-purple.
Best Fabrics: Wool, linen.
Dyeing Process:
Simmer petals and flower heads to extract the dye.
Works best with a mordant like alum or iron.
9. Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Color Produced: Bright yellow to mustard tones.
Best Fabrics: Wool, silk, cotton.
Dyeing Process:
Boil fresh or dried flowers in water to extract a rich yellow dye.
Use alum for vibrant yellows or iron for olive-green tones.
10. Woad (Isatis tinctoria)
Color Produced: Light to medium blue.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Similar to indigo, woad dye requires a reduction bath for proper color extraction.
Layer dips to achieve a deeper shade.
11. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)
Color Produced: Pale yellow, pink, or red.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Extract yellow dye by soaking petals in water.
For pink or red, soak in an alkaline solution and adjust pH levels.
12. Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea)
Color Produced: Light blue to purple.
Best Fabrics: Silk, cotton.
Dyeing Process:
Boil the flowers in water to extract a vivid blue dye.
Add lemon juice for purple tones or baking soda for teal hues.
13. Bougainvillea
Color Produced: Magenta to purplish-pink.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, linen.
Dyeing Process:
Simmer bracts in water to extract the dye.
Mordants like alum help retain the vibrancy.
14. Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Color Produced: Pale blue to lavender.
Best Fabrics: Wool, silk.
Dyeing Process:
Gently boil flowers to extract the delicate dye.
Works best with a protein-based mordant.
15. Elderflower (Sambucus nigra)
Color Produced: Pale yellow.
Best Fabrics: Cotton, wool.
Dyeing Process:
Use flower clusters to produce soft, golden hues.
Pair with alum mordant for better retention.
Tips for Dyeing Fabrics with Flowers
Prepare the Fabric:
Wash the fabric thoroughly to remove any residues.
Mordant the fabric using alum, iron, or copper to enhance dye adherence and colorfastness.
Extract the Dye:
Simmer flowers in water for 30–60 minutes.
Strain the liquid to remove plant matter.
Dye the Fabric:
Submerge pre-mordanted fabric in the dye bath.
Heat gently for 30–60 minutes and stir occasionally.
Set the Color:
Rinse the fabric in cool water until the water runs clear.
Allow to dry in the shade to prevent fading.
Using flowers to dye fabrics is a rewarding way to connect with nature and create unique, natural hues. Experiment with different combinations and mordants to discover your favorite shades.
