Natural Dye From Onion Skin and Beetroot: Kitchen Waste Colours

Onion skins are a common starting point for natural dye on plain cotton, and the shade depends on the fabric and how long it soaks. Natural dye from kitchen waste is a craft you can test at home with scraps you already have, and the test matters more than the recipe. This guide covers onion skins, beetroot and tea on cotton, what can fade in the first wash, and the safety rules for dye pots, all under the Zero-Waste Kitchen hub.

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Which kitchen waste gives a clear colour on cotton?

Onion skins are the usual place to start. The dry, papery outer skins cost nothing and are easy to collect. Beetroot peel gives pinks and reds, and turmeric gives yellow. Tea can give a soft tan. Test each one on a swatch before you commit, because the wash result is what counts. For a first project, use onion skins for the piece and keep the other waste for swatch tests.

Onion skins for eggs and rice colouring, and the hair rinse use, have their own guide, which covers the kitchen side of the same peel. See the onion peel guide for hair colour, stock and peel tea for those uses. This article stays with cloth.

How do you prepare onion skins and beetroot for dye?

Preparation is simple. It decides how clean and even the shade turns out. Dry skins are easier to handle than wet, soft ones, and any mould or sour smell means the waste goes in the bin.

1. Collect dry onion skins over about a week in a paper bag, and keep them somewhere dry. A cupful of skins is a good starting batch.
2. Rinse the skins, then pick out any soft, mouldy or sour pieces before you start.
3. Put the skins in an old dye pot with about 4 cups of water and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until the liquid is deep in colour.
4. Strain the liquid into a bowl, and let it cool until it feels warm rather than hot.
5. Soak a pre-washed cotton swatch in the warm dye for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring now and then.
6. Rinse in cool water until it runs clear, then dry the fabric in the shade.

Beetroot peel follows the same method, with the peel in place of the onion skins. Keep the beetroot pot separate from any pot used for food, because the stain it leaves can be strong.

Why does the colour fade in the first wash?

Some natural shades lose colour in the first wash, so the swatch is the test that counts. The shade straight out of the bath can look stronger than the one left after a wash and a dry. This is normal. Wait for the rinse and the drying before you judge the colour, and judge the swatch, not the bath. Pre-washing the cloth is a common step, since a dressing or finish on new fabric can get in the way of even colour.

Do you need a fixing agent, and how much should you use?

Some dyers use a fixing agent such as alum to help a shade hold on cloth. This article gives no ratio, because the right amount depends on the weight of the fabric and the dye you are using. Take the amount from a dyeing guide you trust. Store any fixing agent in a clearly labelled jar, away from food and out of children’s reach.

What safety rules apply to dye pots and kitchen tools?

The dye pot is the main safety point. Use a dedicated old pot. Never use a pot, spoon or strainer that touches food, since dye residue can stay on kitchen tools and the next curry does not need it. Label every dye tool as not for food. Wear rubber gloves if your skin reacts easily, and wash your hands after handling dye or fixing agents. Keep the dye bath out of reach of children and pets, since a spilled bath can stain skin and floors quickly.

What should you do with the spent skins and leftover dye?

Spent onion skins go to the compost heap, as long as they are not mouldy. The compost smell and fruit fly guide explains how to keep a kitchen-waste bin from turning sour. Cooled, strained dye can be reused for a second, paler dip on another small scrap of fabric. Pour dye baths away slowly rather than all at once, since strong dye can stain a sink.

Is marigold a better dye than onion skin?

Marigold is a flower rather than kitchen waste, and its uses are covered in their own guide. Read the marigold flower guide for skin, tea, garden and dye before you pick it for cloth. For the food side of colour, the zarda rang food colour safety guide covers food colours and how to keep them apart from dye baths.

Natural dye questions people ask

Sources

• NHS: Contact dermatitis
• NHS: Poisoning

Bottom line on natural dye from kitchen waste

Test a swatch and wash it once before you dye the whole piece. The colour you see while the bath is hot is not always the colour you keep, so judge the cloth after it has been washed and dried.