Welcome to the Natural Dye Studio
A monthly publication focused on honoring sustainability, technique,
and the beautiful color palettes from Mother Earth
Welcome to the first post of the Natural Dye Studio. For a while I have had this little dream simmering to connect with others interested in natural dyeing and to support this beautiful community. My intention is to provide a resource filled with everything I have learned about natural dyeing for anyone interested in a natural dye practice. Whether you are new or experienced, this is a space to find inspiration and perhaps eventually to share and interact in community.
In this first issue, I will share a bit about me and my journey and discuss the what and why of natural dyeing.
What is natural dyeing?
Natural dyeing is an ancient technique involving the extraction of colors from natural materials such as plants, fungi, insects, and minerals, and binding this color with fibers. The earliest known records of dyeing date back to China in 2600 BCE and evidence of techniques using local plants and minerals can be found all over the world. Indeed, natural dyeing was the predominant method of coloring cloth until synthetic dyes were developed in the mid-19th century.
Natural dyeing is chemistry. It illustrates tangible transformation. It is one of the many gifts of the Earth. It feels like magic.
My Studio
About Me
I am a textile artist and founder of Juli Rae Art, a small creative business that offers naturally dyed quilts, wall hangings, and other home goods. When I’m not elbow deep in a dye vat or sitting at my sewing machine, you can generally find me biking around town, practicing yoga, sketching at a cafe, or at a park with my preschooler. All of my work is made in my home studio in Portland, OR.
I have always been an artist at heart, and working with my hands has always been nourishment for my soul. I began dyeing my own fabric in 2023 primarily out of curiosity. I was drawn to the aspect of sustainability, the connection to nature, and the beautiful, earthy color palettes. Today I work exclusively with naturally dyed fibers and am only beginning to explore the myriad of possibilities!
“The acts of planting seeds and taking time to make beautiful, intentional items with our hands offers an opportunity to understand the true value of things.”
Why Natural Dyeing?
Natural dyeing is a multistep process that requires time, attention, space, and patience. The results can be unpredictable. Why bother? It would be so much easier to go down to the local fabric boutique and just buy some yardage, right?
Since I’ve started dyeing my own fabric, I can honestly say that I would never go back to buying synthetically dyed fabric, no matter how much more convenient it is. Here are a few reasons why I am committed to the process of natural dyeing, and why, if you haven’t, I encourage you to give it a try:
Natural dyeing connects us to nature.
Since beginning the process of natural dyeing, I have found myself paying more attention to the plants in my area, learning their names and observing their life cycles. I spent time outside planting, tending, gathering. Plants offer so many gifts: medicine, food, fragrance, beauty, and yes, color. I have not only developed a curiosity about plants, but also a deep appreciation and respect for the delicate relationship among all living things and a deepened desire to take care of this precious planet.
“It's a sign of respect and connection to learn the name of someone else, a sign of disrespect to ignore it. And yet, the average American can name over a hundred corporate logos and ten plants. Is it a surprise that we have accepted a political system that grants personhood to corporations, and no status at all for wild rice and redwoods? Learning the names of plants and animals is a powerful act of support for them. When we learn their names and their gifts, it opens the door to reciprocity.”
— Robin Wall Kimmerer
2. Natural dyes offer a unique depth and quality of color.
The soft, muted, earthy quality of the colors creates a depth and texture that is impossible to recreate with commercially dyed fabrics. Nature does not generally produce straight lines or identical replicas; no two leaves or flowers or tree branches are exactly alike. Yet it is the variation, the asymmetry, the organic wild nature of living things that make it beautiful, interesting, and calming. A yard of fabric pulled from a dye vat holds a memory of the process, crease lines that reflect how it sat in the dye vat, areas of variation showing places that received more or less mordant. While the aim is for even application, these variations are equally beautiful.
3. The process of natural dyeing invites us to slow down.
Natural dyeing, and in fact all hand crafted processes, act to push back against consumerist culture. Being involved in the slow process of dyeing requires patience, attention, and intimacy. I believe that in a world that is becoming increasingly automated and cerebral, our bodies crave this slowness. Our hands desire to touch and create. Our souls yearn for meaning and intimacy. The process of dyeing offers all of these.
4. Natural dyeing is kinder to the Earth and her resources.
The process of synthetic dyeing has a harmful impact on the environment, most notably the release of toxic chemicals into the wastewater during production. With natural dyeing, I can rest assured that no toxic chemicals are being put into our precious environment. I control what elements are used and how they are disposed of (more about this in a future blog!). Much of the water used during the natural dyeing process is recycled back into the garden. It is a small yet meaningful way to both honor the beauty of our mother Earth and to care for her.
What to Expect
Each month, I will dive deep into an aspect of natural dyeing, beginning with the basics and eventually exploring more intricate techniques. I want this to be a space to connect and learn in community, so I welcome any suggestions, questions, or feedback.
Just as a note, I work almost exclusively with cellulose (plant based) fibers such as cotton and linen, so I will primarily focus on working with these. The process for dyeing with animal fibers, such as wool and silk, is a bit different. I will offer suggestions when I can, but my experience is limited!
Here’s a little peek at what to expect in the next few months:
July - an overview of the natural dye process and materials to gather
August - Step 1: Fabric and Scouring
September - Step 2: Mordanting
October - Sourcing dye material
November - Step 3: Dyeing with whole materials and extracts
December - Modifiers: pH and ferrous
If there are specific topics you would like to address or questions you have, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I look forward to a collaborative experience of learning and growing together.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Let's create something beautiful together.
