5 Common Mistakes When Natural Dyeing (And How to Avoid Them) 🌿
Make your colours bolder, your fabric softer, and your results longer-lasting.
Natural dyeing is a magical, earth-based craft—but let’s be honest: sometimes the results don’t turn out the way we hoped. If you’ve ever ended up with patchy colour, faded fabric, or uneven results, you’re not alone.
Here are five of the most common natural dyeing mistakes—and how to fix them so your projects come out beautifully every time.
1. Skipping the Mordant Step
The mistake: Going straight to dyeing without treating your fabric with a mordant (a fixative that helps bind dye to fibre).
The result: Colours fade quickly or wash out completely.
How to avoid it:
Use safe mordants like alum (for bright colours) or iron (for earthy tones).
Always rinse your fabric after mordanting to remove residue.
🪴 Bonus Tip: Mordanting is especially important when dyeing with plant-based materials like onion skins, avocado pits, or flowers.
2. Using the Wrong Fabric
The mistake: Dyeing synthetic or poly-blend fabrics with natural dyes.
The result: Dull or barely visible colour.
How to avoid it:
Always use natural fibres like cotton, linen, silk, or wool.
Pre-wash to remove any chemical coatings or oils.
🧵 Pro Tip: Check that your sewing thread is cotton too—many are polyester, which won’t take dye.
3. Not Extracting the Dye Properly
The mistake: Tossing plant matter into a pot and hoping for strong colour.
The result: Weak colours or uneven dye coverage.
How to avoid it:
Gently simmer your dye materials instead of boiling.
Strain solids thoroughly before adding your fabric.
🌸 Try this: Soak flowers overnight or use a solar infusion for a few days before heating. It’s gentler and more effective!
4. Not Stirring or Overcrowding the Pot
The mistake: Leaving fabric bunched up in the pot without movement.
The result: Uneven colour, blotches, or pale patches.
How to avoid it:
Stir your fabric gently and frequently.
Avoid dyeing too much fabric at once.
đź“Ź Good Rule: Use a 1:10 ratio of fabric to water so everything moves freely.
5. Expecting Instant or Synthetic Results
The mistake: Wanting vibrant, commercial-looking colours right away.
The result: Disappointment or overcorrection with harsh chemicals.
How to avoid it:
Embrace the soft, organic shades that natural dyes create.
Use gentle modifiers like:
Iron water for darkening
Lemon juice or vinegar for warming/brightening
Soda ash for softening and shifting pH
🎨 Natural dyeing is more like painting with earth than with neon ink—and that’s what makes it beautiful.
Final Thoughts
Natural dyeing is a blend of art, science, and patience. Mistakes are part of the journey—but when you know what to look out for, your results will only get better.
If you’re just getting started, check out our upcoming natural dye workshops, or browse our DIY dye kits to start your own plant-based dye journey at home.
More Resources
🧡 Want to share your dye journey? Tag us on Instagram @rivarossabotanicals so we can see what you create!
