Soft hues, earthy tones & kitchen alchemy you can try at home.
Natural dyes behave differently depending on the plant, water hardness and pH — and that’s exactly why they’re magical.
Expect variation and embrace it. Keep in mind that the final colour can be influenced by the colour and finish of the paper, especially if the paper is recycled and has other light flecks in it.
A
Avocado
Avocado skins & pits — blush pink, peach, dusty rose.
Tip: The dye looks brown but dries pink.
pH: Add baking soda — deeper raspberry tones.
B
Beetroot — pink, rose, muted plum.
Blackberries / Blueberries — dusky blues and purples.
Black tea — warm sepia brown.
Butterfly pea flowers — royal blue, lavender, teal.
pH:
- Acid — purple/pink
- Neutral — blue
- Alkaline — teal/turquoise
C
Coffee — caramel to deep brown.
Red cabbage — purple, blue, turquoise.
pH: Vinegar — pink, Baking soda — teal
Chamomile — pale yellow.
D
Dandelion flowers — soft yellow.
Dragonfruit (pink pitaya) — neon pink to soft rose.
E
Elderberries — purple-black washes, smoky indigo.
F
Flowers, mixed — very soft purples, yellows, browns.
Fennel seeds — light gold.
G
Grapes, red — lavender to plum.
Green tea — muted antique beige.
H
Hibiscus petals — berry pinks and wine tones.
pH:
- Acid — bright magenta
- Alkaline — blue-grey
I
Indigo leaves — classic pale blue.
Inkcap mushrooms — old-fashioned grey-black wash.
J
Juniper berries — dusty blue-grey.
K
Kale — natural grey-green.
Kiwi skins — light brown-yellowish
L
Lavender — muted greyish purple.
Lemon peels — soft yellow.
Logwood — intense purples and blacks (traditional dye).
M
Mint leaves — faint green.
Marigold petals — bright yellow-orange.
Mulberries — red to reddish-purple.
N
Nettle leaves — pale, earthy green.
O
Onion:
Yellow onion skins — vivid gold & rust.
Red onion skins — greens, browns, dusty rose.
Orange peels — warm golden tones.
P
Paprika — orange-red.
Pomegranate peels — warm gold to mustard.
Q
Quince skins — very pale yellow.
R
Raspberries — soft pink.
Rose petals — dusty mauve.
Red wine — burgundy to purple.
S
Spinach — pale green.
Spirulina — Blue spirulina — turquoise to greenish-blue (strong but pricey).
Saffron — rich yellow (luxury, but pricey)
Strawberries — faint pink.
T
Turmeric — neon yellow.
pH:
- Baking soda — orange-brown
- Vinegar — keeps bright yellow
Tea blends — soft browns.
U
Uva ursi — warm, earthy brown.
V
Violets — blue-grey washes.
W
Walnut hulls and green peel — deep, permanent brown.
White wine — pale gold.
Y
Yellow Apple — soft, gentle yellow.
Z
Zucchini — very pale green-beige.
Mini pH Magic
(Use with berries, hibiscus, cabbage, avocado, butterfly pea)
- Acid (lemon/vinegar) → pinks, reds
- Neutral water → original shade
- Alkaline (baking soda) → blues, teals, greys
Start with tiny pinches — big changes happen fast.
Simple How-To: Natural Dyeing Paper
- Simmer your chosen dye source in water 20–45 minutes.
- Strain.
- Dip, brush or soak your paper.
- Dry flat or hang.
- Press under books to flatten.
Want a material added to this A–Z list?
Leave a comment — I’ll gladly expand this dictionary for you.
