Determining the best new colors in fall fashion doesn’t have to be a mystery. Pantone creates a fall fashion color palette according to what graced the runway at New York fashion week. And here it is:
But have you ever wondered how to naturally dye your own clothes? I was curious and did some research to find natural plants and even foods that can yield specific colors when dying your own garments. Some might even align nicely with the most popular colors of the season.
If you want to dye ORANGE, use carrots, onion skins or gold lichen. Left long enough to soak, you might find a color comparable to Pantone's Autumn Maple!
If you want to dye GREEN, use plantain, peach leaves, grass, lilacs, peppermint leaves, sorrel roots, spinach or even artichokes. Aim for Pantone color of the fall “Golden Lime.”
If you want to dye RED/BROWN, reach for beets, bamboo, pomegranates, bloodroot and hibiscus. The deep Pantone color “Tawny Port” screams "Autumn is here!"
If want to dye PINK, you’ll need cherries, berries, red and pink roses, avocado skins and avocado seeds. I personally think pink is always “in,” and Pantone’s “Ballet Slipper” is just adorable.
If you want to dye BLUE, look for red mulberries, dogwood bark, purple grapes, blueberries. Elderberries, red cabbage, woad and indigo. Navy is a perfect color for fall. Dye to “Navy Peony” perfection!
HOW TO DYE FABRICS:
1. Wash the fabric you’re dyeing to remove all residues, dirt or other particles.
2. Prepare your fabrics for dyeing. If you’re using berries to dye, prep fabric with salt; any other plant material, use vinegar. This is called “mordant” and acts as a binding agent between the dye and the fabric — an essential step in developing the color you want.
- ½ cup salt in 8 cups cold water
- 1 part vinegar to 4 parts cold water
Soak fabric in that mixture for one hour, and then rinse.
3. Place plant materials in large stainless steel pot and fill with twice as much water as dye material.
4. Simmer for one hour until rich color develops.
5. Put your fabrics in the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about an hour, and stir every so often.
6. Keep in mind that colors will be lighter once the fabric is dry, but to achieve a darker color, simply sit in the warm water for a longer period of time. (But only simmer for an hour.)
7. Remove the fabric and wash in cold water. Some dye will inevitably wash out.
8. Dry!