Top 15 'Kitchen-Scrap-Alchemy' Natural Dye Techniques to try for transforming textiles on weekends. - Goh Ling Yong
Before you toss those onion skins or avocado pits into the compost bin, pause for a moment. What if I told you that those humble kitchen scraps hold the secret to creating a stunning palette of all-natural, one-of-a-kind textile dyes? It sounds like a bit of magic, but it’s a beautiful, ancient science that we like to call 'Kitchen-Scrap-Alchemy'. It’s the art of transforming everyday food waste into vibrant, living colours for your fabrics.
Here on the Goh Ling Yong blog, we champion the idea that creativity is everywhere, often hiding in plain sight. Natural dyeing is the perfect embodiment of this philosophy. It’s a slow, mindful craft that reconnects us with nature, encourages sustainability, and produces results that are beautifully imperfect and impossible to replicate with synthetic dyes. Forget harsh chemicals and expensive kits; your next masterpiece could be simmering away on your stovetop, born from the remnants of last night’s dinner.
This guide is your invitation to spend a weekend exploring this enchanting world. We’ve gathered 15 of our favourite kitchen scrap dye techniques, perfect for beginners and seasoned crafters alike. All you need is a pot, some natural fabric (like cotton, linen, silk, or wool), and a little bit of curiosity. Let’s turn your kitchen into an alchemist’s lab and your textiles into works of art.
1. Avocado Pits & Skins: The Millennial Pink Miracle
Don’t let their tough, brown exterior fool you—avocado pits and skins are the darlings of the natural dye world for a reason. They magically produce a stunning range of colours from the softest dusty rose and blush pink to deeper terracotta reds. The colour depends on the type of avocado, your water's pH, and how long you simmer the dye bath.
To get started, simply collect the pits and skins from your morning toast. Wash them thoroughly to remove all fruit flesh and let them dry completely. You can store them in a bag in the freezer until you have enough (around 5-10 pits for a medium-sized project). When you're ready, simmer the pits and skins in a pot of water for at least an hour, or until the water turns a deep reddish-brown. Strain out the solids, add your pre-wetted natural fabric, and gently simmer until you achieve your desired shade.
Pro-Tip: For the clearest pinks, avoid boiling the dye bath too vigorously. A gentle, steady simmer coaxes the colour out beautifully. Adding a pinch of soda ash to the dye bath can sometimes push the colour towards a warmer, more salmon-like tone.
2. Yellow Onion Skins: The Golden Standard
This is perhaps the easiest and most rewarding natural dye for beginners. The papery, golden skins of yellow onions, which you’d normally discard without a thought, create a magnificent spectrum of colour. Depending on the concentration of your dye bath, you can achieve everything from a sunny marigold yellow to a rich, burnished orange or even a deep autumnal rust.
Start saving those dry outer skins in a paper bag. You’ll need a surprisingly large amount for a deep colour, so don’t be shy! A large grocery bag full is a great starting point. Pack the skins into a pot, cover with water, and simmer for about an hour. The water will transform into a glorious golden liquid. Strain the skins, introduce your fabric, and simmer again.
Pro-Tip: For interesting patterns, try bundle dyeing. Lay your fabric flat, sprinkle onion skins over it, roll it up tightly, and secure with string. Steaming the bundle instead of simmering it will create beautiful, mottled patterns of gold and orange.
3. Red Onion Skins: The Colour Chameleon
You might expect red onion skins to produce shades of red or purple, but they are full of wonderful surprises! Unlike their yellow cousins, red onion skins often yield a more muted, earthy palette. You can expect to see anything from khaki green and soft lavender-grey to warm, earthy browns. The final colour is a delightful mystery influenced by your water and the fabric you use.
The process is identical to using yellow onion skins: collect, simmer, strain, and dye. The magic lies in the unpredictability. This dye teaches a valuable lesson in natural dyeing—to let go of expectations and embrace the beautiful, unexpected results that nature provides.
Pro-Tip: Try modifying the final colour. After dyeing, dip a part of your fabric into a weak solution of iron water (a rusty nail steeped in water and vinegar). You'll see the colour instantly shift to a deeper, moodier shade of grey or green.
4. Used Coffee Grounds: For Earthy Elegance
Your morning coffee ritual can extend into your creative practice. Used coffee grounds are a fantastic source of rich, earthy brown dyes. They impart a lovely, warm tone that can range from a delicate latte beige to a deep espresso brown, giving fabrics a wonderfully aged and rustic feel.
Simply collect your used grounds from the filter (freshly used is best). You don’t need to dry them out. Add the grounds to a pot of water, bring to a simmer for about an hour, and then strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or old t-shirt to remove all the fine particles. Add your fabric to the resulting coffee bath and simmer until you’re happy with the colour.
Pro-Tip: Coffee dye pairs beautifully with tea dye. Try dyeing a piece of fabric first in black tea and then in a coffee bath to create a deeper, more complex shade of brown with a lovely vintage patina.
5. Black Tea Bags: The Vintage Vibe
If you want to give new fabric an instant antique look, black tea is your best friend. The tannins naturally present in black tea not only create a beautiful range of colours from soft tan to rich brown but also act as a natural mordant, helping the colour bind to the fabric more effectively.
Collect any used black tea bags (or use fresh ones for a stronger colour). Steep about 15-20 tea bags in a pot of hot water for 30 minutes, or until the water is very dark. Remove the tea bags, squeezing out any excess liquid. Submerge your fabric in the tea bath and let it simmer gently. The longer it simmers, the darker the shade will become.
Pro-Tip: For an even, consistent colour, stir your fabric frequently in the dye pot. For a more mottled, uneven look, simply scrunch the fabric and leave it unstirred.
6. Pomegranate Skins: Sunshine in a Pot
The tough, leathery skin of a pomegranate is a treasure trove of colour. Instead of tossing it, you can use it to create brilliant shades of golden yellow, khaki, and warm gold. Pomegranate is a substantive dye, meaning it has enough tannins to bond well to fabric without always needing a separate mordant.
After you've enjoyed the jewel-like seeds, chop the skin into smaller pieces and let them dry out completely. You can store the dried pieces in a jar. To create the dye, simmer the dried skins in water for an hour or more. The resulting liquid will be a vibrant yellow. Strain and add your fabric, simmering gently to absorb the sunny hue.
Pro-Tip: If you add an iron modifier to your pomegranate dye bath, the bright yellow will dramatically shift to a beautiful mossy green or a deep cement grey. It’s like two dyes in one!
7. Turmeric Powder: The Quick & Vibrant Stain
For an instant burst of radiant, almost neon yellow, look no further than the turmeric in your spice rack. This is one of the easiest and fastest natural dyes to work with, producing an incredibly vibrant colour with very little effort. It’s a perfect choice for a quick weekend project with the kids.
Simply dissolve a few tablespoons of turmeric powder in a pot of hot water, stirring well. Add your fabric and bring it to a simmer for about 30-60 minutes. The fabric will quickly take on a brilliant yellow-gold hue. Be warned: turmeric stains everything, so wear gloves and protect your workspace!
Pro-Tip: Turmeric is known for not being very lightfast, meaning it can fade over time with exposure to direct sunlight. Embrace its ephemeral nature and use it for items that won't see a lot of sun, like napkins, indoor cushion covers, or wearable art that is stored in a closet.
8. Red Cabbage: The pH Science Experiment
This is where kitchen-scrap dyeing feels like a high school chemistry class in the best possible way. Red cabbage doesn't create red; it creates a dye that is highly sensitive to pH, allowing you to create a whole rainbow of colours from a single pot. The initial dye bath will be a gorgeous purple-blue.
Chop up half a red cabbage, cover it with water, and simmer for about an hour. Strain out the cabbage pieces. When you add your fabric to this purple bath, you can then play with modifiers. Add a splash of vinegar (acid) to shift the colour towards magenta and pink. Add a pinch of baking soda (alkaline) to transform it into a stunning turquoise and blue-green.
Pro-Tip: Set up a few small jars with the base purple dye. Let your kids (or your inner child) experiment by adding different amounts of lemon juice or baking soda to each jar to witness the magical colour changes before dyeing larger pieces.
9. Beetroot: The Beautiful but Fleeting Pink
Beetroot is famous for its powerful stain, and it can produce the most breathtaking shades of deep pink and crimson. It’s an incredibly satisfying dye to work with because the colour is so immediate and intense. Peels, ends, or even whole beets (grated or chopped) can be used.
Simmer your beet scraps in water for an hour to extract the brilliant magenta colour. Strain the liquid and add your fabric. A gentle simmer will help the colour take, but be aware that beetroot dye is notoriously "fugitive." This means it is not very lightfast or washfast and will fade significantly over time.
Pro-Goh Ling Yong-Tip: Since beetroot dye isn't permanent, we recommend using it for ephemeral art projects, decorative items that won't be washed (like wall hangings or decorative ribbons), or for dyeing paper and cards. It's about enjoying the beauty of the process and the colour, even if it's temporary.
10. Carrot Tops: The Subtle Green Gold
Don't throw away the leafy green tops from your bunch of carrots! While they won’t give you an orange colour, these feathery greens can be used to create a lovely, subtle dye in shades of soft citrus yellow or pale celery green. It’s a wonderful way to practice whole-vegetable cooking and crafting.
The process is simple: chop the carrot tops, cover them with water, and simmer for an hour. This dye is much more delicate than others, so you may need a large quantity of tops and a longer simmering time to build up a noticeable colour on your fabric. It’s a lesson in patience and appreciating subtlety.
Pro-Tip: To get the most out of this delicate dye, be sure to use a protein fiber like silk or wool, as they tend to accept dyes more readily than plant fibers like cotton. Pre-mordanting your fabric with alum will also help the gentle colour adhere.
11. Spinach & Assorted Greens: A Hint of Spring
Like carrot tops, spinach and other leafy greens like kale can be used to create a dye bath. The colour extracted is chlorophyll, which yields a very soft, spring-like yellow-green. It's a fun experiment, especially if you have some greens that are starting to wilt in your fridge.
Wilt a large bunch of spinach in a pot of simmering water. The colour will be released very quickly. Strain the liquid and add your fabric for a quick dip. The resulting colour will be pale and delicate, a whisper of green that’s perfect for baby clothes or delicate linens.
Pro-Tip: Chlorophyll is not very lightfast. Like beetroot, this dye is best used for items that will be kept out of direct sunlight. Enjoy the process of coaxing colour from such a simple source.
12. Black Walnut Hulls: The Potent & Permanent Brown
For a truly powerful and permanent dye, nothing beats black walnuts. The green outer hulls (not the shell) produce an incredibly rich, deep brown that is substantive and requires no mordant. This is an ancient dye that has been used for centuries to colour wood, hair, and textiles.
If you are lucky enough to have a black walnut tree nearby, collect the fallen green hulls in late summer or autumn. Wear heavy-duty gloves, as they will stain your skin for weeks! Crush the hulls, cover them with water, and let them soak for a few days before simmering to create a dark, potent dye bath. This dye is incredibly colourfast and will give you a lasting, beautiful brown.
Pro-Tip: The walnut dye bath can be re-used multiple times. The first batch of fabric will be the darkest, and subsequent batches will be progressively lighter shades of brown, creating a beautiful tonal gradient from a single pot.
13. Artichoke Water: The Surprise Green
Here’s a fantastic zero-waste tip: the next time you steam or boil a whole artichoke, don’t pour the cooking water down the drain! That water, which has absorbed compounds from the leaves, can be used as a simple dye bath to produce a surprisingly lovely, soft celadon or mossy green.
There's no extra work involved. Simply save the water after you've finished cooking your artichokes. You can strain it to remove any small bits and then use it immediately as a dye bath while it’s still hot. It’s a very gentle dye, so it works best on silk or wool.
Pro-Tip: You can collect and freeze your artichoke water in batches until you have enough to dye a larger item. Just thaw and reheat it when you’re ready to start your project.
14. Red & Purple Grape Skins: Echoes of the Vineyard
If you ever find yourself making homemade grape juice or wine, the leftover skins are a fantastic dye source. Rich in tannins and pigments, they can create a range of colours from soft lavender and greyish-purple to a warm blush, depending on the type of grape and any modifiers used.
After pressing the grapes, collect the leftover skins (the "must"). Cover them with water, simmer for an hour, and strain. The resulting dye bath has a beautiful, subtle colour that imparts a gentle, romantic hue to natural fabrics.
Pro-Tip: Experiment with adding a squeeze of lemon juice to the dye bath to brighten the purples and pinks, or a pinch of iron to shift the colour towards a sophisticated slate grey.
15. Citrus Peels: A Whisper of Sunshine
While not the most potent of dyes, the peels from oranges, lemons, and grapefruits can be used to create very pale, creamy yellow shades. It’s a wonderful way to use up every last bit of the fruit and fill your kitchen with a gorgeous citrusy aroma.
Collect a good amount of peels and dry them out, or use them fresh. Chop them into small pieces and simmer them in water for at least an hour. The resulting colour is very delicate, so this technique is best for creating a subtle, sun-kissed tint on white fabrics rather than a bold colour transformation.
Pro-Tip: To enhance the subtle colour, try pre-mordanting your fabric with alum. This will help the pale yellow pigments from the citrus peels bond more effectively to the fibers, giving you a slightly more noticeable and longer-lasting shade.
Your Alchemical Journey Begins
Stepping into the world of natural dyeing is like unlocking a secret. You start to see potential colour everywhere—in your spice rack, your vegetable crisper, and your compost bin. Each pot is an experiment, and every finished piece of fabric tells a unique story of plants, water, and time. The beauty lies in the imperfections—the subtle shifts in tone, the unexpected patterns, and the knowledge that you created something beautiful from what would have been thrown away.
Now it's your turn to become a kitchen-scrap-alchemist. Pick one from this list that sparks your curiosity—perhaps the reliable gold of onion skins or the surprising pink of avocados. Embrace the process, have fun with it, and don't be afraid to experiment.
Which kitchen scrap will you try to transform first this weekend? We’d love to see your creations! Share your journey and your dyed textiles on social media and tag us so our creative community can be inspired by your work. Happy dyeing
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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