How to make your own plant based dyes: DIY

SASHA DUERR

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Sasha Duerr

Professor of Plant Dyes and author of “Living Color”, Duerr takes us through the beauty of using plant-based dyes to create vibrant color at home.

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YOUR GUIDE

Plant based dyes are  eco-friendly, organic and gentle enough for everyday wear. The best part? It's all cost effective and sustainable at its best.

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TUTORIAL

Avocado Pit Dye 101

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Prepare your fabric

I wash the fabric with Synthrapol detergent, which is perfect to prep fabric for dyeing.

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Prepare the avocado pits

Wash avocado pits completely to remove any flesh. You would need 3-4 avocado pits per 1/2 lb of fabric.

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Mix everything together

Put your whole pits into the bottom of the pot. Add enough water to cover the fabric that will be dyed.

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ADVICE

“ Slow food has taught us that sustainability is as equally rooted in social connection and care as it is in environmental stewardship. “

SASHA DUERR

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Give it time

Remember not to boil the pigment for too long, it's the time not the heat that produces the richest hues.

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Let it dry overnight

Remove the fabric from the dye bath and rinse gently in the sink and hang the dyed fabric to dry overnight.

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Your plant dyed fabrics are now ready for use!

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WELL DONE!

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ENJOY

I mean, can you believe how easy that is? Water + Avocado + Fabric + Heat = the most gorgeous pink. The popular  millennial pink!

SASHA DUERR

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