Botanical Dye Studio #01: Fabric Selection & Washing

Tips & Tricks from our Botanical Dye Studio – Fabric Selection & Washing

Before you embark on your journey into the world of botanical dyes, there are a few things you should keep in mind to ensure your dyes bond with the fabric and last longer. Since I'm often asked how this works best, I've put together a few useful tips for you as an introduction.

Fabrics - Cellulose or protein fibers

Choosing the right fabrics is crucial when dyeing with botanical dyes. The fabrics must be 100% natural, otherwise the dyeing won't work. Natural dyes don't like chemically produced fibers. When it comes to fabric types, a distinction is made between cellulose = plant fibers (cotton, linen, hemp) and protein = animal fibers (wool, silk). It's best to choose unbleached and undyed fabrics, i.e., in their raw state—this will achieve the best results.

Different fabric types are pretreated differently to better absorb dyes. This includes the two important preparation steps of washing and mordant.

Wash

Although it's a bit more time-consuming, the fabrics must be washed properly to remove any oil, starch, or other substances left behind during manufacturing. When washing, it's very important to use a pH-neutral detergent. I use Ecover, for example, which I can easily find at drugstores.

These are my recipes:

Protein fibers

Detergent: pH-neutral soap / Ecover
Method: Stainless steel pot & stove
The pot size depends on the amount of fabric. It is important that the fabric can move freely.

• You'll need about half a teaspoon of detergent per 500g of fabric. Fill the pot with water and dissolve the detergent in it.
• Heat the water slowly to 80-90°C over 30 minutes. Maintain this temperature for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• After the washing time, turn off the stove and let the fabric cool down. Then you can rinse it in cold water.

Cellulose fibers

Detergent: Soda (also available in any drugstore)
Method: Stainless steel pot & stove or washing machine

• For every 100g of product, you'll need 1 teaspoon of baking soda, which you first dissolve in hot water. Fill the pot with water and add the baking soda mixture.
• Slowly heat the water to 90°C over 30 minutes. Hold this temperature for another 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
• After the washing time, turn off the stove and let the fabric cool down. Then you can rinse it in cold water.

washing machine

Since plant-based fabrics aren't as delicate, I also like to wash them in the washing machine to save time. Here's how:

• You'll need 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 100g of fabric. Simply add the baking soda to the washing machine along with your fabric. I usually add a little pH-neutral detergent as well.
• Choose a wash program for 30-40°C. After washing, your fabric is ready for dyeing.

I'll share two simple mordant recipes for you in a future article. If you'd like to get started with botanical dyeing beforehand, you'll find pre-treated fabrics and everything else you need in our Botanical Dye Kits #01 Night Shades & #2 Sunny Desert .