Dyes from Food Waste

Today, clothes come in an incredible variety of bright colors and patterns - the options are endless! However, throughout much of history, people were limited to the colors they could create using animals or plants. Synthetic dye, or pigments that were created in a scientific lab, was only invented in the mid-19th century, so for many years people used the materials around them to add color to their clothes. These sources included food, flowers, weeds, bark, moss, leaves, seeds, mushrooms, lichens and even minerals. While earthy colors like brown and yellow were relatively easy to make, many natural dyes tended to be lighter and less bright than the colors that we’re used to now, and faded more easily. So, the brightest colors became a sign of money! In the Roman era, for example, a rich royal purple was created using a small mollusk, and was so expensive that only emperors could use it! Other familiar colors, like the dark blue of indigo, come from creating a concentrated paste out of various plants. Can you think of any plants or flowers around you that might create yellow or orange dyes? What about reds and blues?

With your adult’s help, here are some natural dyes that you can try at home!

You’ll need:

- Scraps of cotton fabric to dye - hard-boiled eggs also work great!White vinegar to help set the dye

- Water

- A saucepan

- Strainer

- Bowl or dish to let your dyed objects soak in

- Newspaper or other materials to protect your work surface

Color guide:

1 cup chopped purple cabbage creates blue

1 cup red onion skins will create lavender or red

1 cup yellow onion skins will create orange

1 cup shredded beets makes pink

2 tablespoons ground turmeric creates yellow eggs

To get started, gather your ingredients for whatever color you’d like to make. With your adult’s permission, you can also experiment with other plants to see what colors you come up with! Add your chosen ingredients to a saucepan with a cup of water, and bring it to a boil. Let your dye mixture simmer for 15-30 minutes with a lid covering it - the longer you simmer, the more concentrated your dye will become! Let your dye cool off, then strain it so that you just have the liquid. Mix in a tablespoon of vinegar to your dye - as a mordant, the vinegar will help your dye stick.

Now, you’re ready to dye! Lay down some newspaper on the table first to protect your work area - natural dyes can create nasty stains! Carefully dip your dyeing materials into the liquid, or submerge it entirely and let it sit. Try dyeing some materials for shorter times, and others for longer times - what differences do you notice? What happens if you dip your materials in different dyes?

When you’re satisfied with your dyed materials, place them on some newspaper and let them dry off somewhere where they won’t be disturbed. Once you’ve finished, send us some pictures of your creations - we’d love to see what you come up with! Tag the Des Plaines History Center on Facebook or Twitter, or email us a photo directly at contact@desplaineshistory.org