natural dyeing (with onion skins)

Dyeing fabric with onion skins creates earthy colour tones, ranging from deep golden to subtle pinks. It’s a great way to breathe a new lease of life into old fabric, whilst limiting kitchen waste at the same time. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

Onion skins

Clean fabric (made from natural fibres like cotton, linen, or silk)

Water

A large pot

Strainer (to remove the onion skins from the dye)

Stirring stick 

Plastic or wooden tongs (for handling the fabric)

1. Place your onion skins in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about an hour. The longer you let it simmer, the richer the dye colour will be.

2. Once you’re happy with the colour, strain out the onion skins, leaving just the dye in the pot. 

3. Submerge your fabric in cool, clean water. Ensure it is evenly soaked, then squeeze out the excess liquid.

4. Gently immerse your fabric into the onion skin dye bath. Stir occasionally, ensuring the fabric is fully submerged and evenly dyed. The length of time you leave the fabric in the dye will affect the colour intensity. A shorter soak will give you a paler, more subtle tone, while a longer soak will result in deeper, richer shades.

5. Once the fabric has reached your desired colour, remove it from the dye bath (you can always store this in a cool place and use again). Rinse it thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear. Then, hang your fabric to dry in a shaded area, as direct sunlight can sometimes alter the colour.

Top tip: adding cream of tartar or alum to the dye bath can make the colour more intense and longer-lasting. This method will work just fine without them too!

For all things food ↓

Wildish Food Guide

Buy Now

Our "Food" Coffee ↓

food - ethiopia sidamo G2

Buy Now