Dyes from plants are a renewable resource, whereas synthetic dyes derived from petrochemicals or fossil sources such as coal, are not. Plant dye-making links art and science, historically embracing botany and medicine as well as an appreciation of chemistry.
Literally every plant in the world will have some sort of colour to offer the dyer. There are at least as many subtly different hues as there are plant species in the world, and an infinite range of colours and shades to be had. When sourcing plants for use in the dye pot, it is important to be aware of several factors. Plant availability (abundance or rarity), and potential toxicity are but two things to consider.
It is preferable to begin with plants from your garden, if you have one. (All plants will give colour in the dye pot, and all experiments are valuable!)
Looking beyond the garden, approach your green grocer for “green garbage”. Onion skins, carrot tops, wilted spinach and red cabbage off-cuts are all good sources of colour. Negotiate with your local council for prunings from parks and gardens. Florists are often pleased to offload wilted flowers and greenery.
Moving into the wild…
Never, ever, collect a plant from the wild that you cannot identify, at the very least, by its common name and preferably by genus and species. The plant you are looking at may be rare or endangered. This rule applies particularly to lichens and fungi. The former are often exceedingly slow growing (sometimes as little as 1 millimetre per annum), whereas both groups include many species which have not yet been formally identified.
