hi
i'm mariah i'm a researcher and designer
based in maine in the state
and today i'm going to show you how to
make natural sustainable
dyes harvesting food waste for textiles
at home
i'm going to show you two simple dye
recipes that harness naturally occurring
tannins which is a strong natural dye
agent
that can be found in some common food
waste items
these dye sources are useful as they
give new purpose to food waste as well
as providing an easy way to bring fresh
color to stained or aged textiles
we'll be starting with the avocados
tannin rich skin
and pits can yield a range of colors
from light pink
to dusty blush to create this dye recipe
you'll need
clean textiles any natural fiber will
work
i'm using old sheets scrap fabric and
some socks
dried avocado pits and skins two pots
tongs and a spoon
firstly you'll need to cut the avocado
pits to make them easier to cook
and extract color
once you've chopped the pits you can
place them in a large pot to cook
the more pits and skins you have the
stronger the die will be
[Applause]
cook the pits and skins at a low simmer
for around an hour
while your pits and skins are boiling
you can prep your textiles to be dyed
if you want to include a pattern in your
dye goods you can do a basic
tie dye technique to achieve a simple
stripe
you can do this by tightly tying rubber
bands around your textiles
in my case i'm using some socks where
the rubber band lies will resist the dye
while the rest of the textile will
absorb the dye and the color
once your textiles are clean and prepped
you should soak them in room temperature
water for an hour to ensure the dye
attaches consistently to the textile
fibers
ensure all your textiles are properly
dunked in water before you leave them to
soak
after an hour you should see the dye
baster to take on the color of the pits
and skins
you may need more time depending on the
freshness and strength of your pit and
skin collection
you will see the skins turn a brighter
green and the pits turn purple from the
heat
aim for a rusty orange colored dye bath
once your dye bath has cooled to
lukewarm
you can filter the pits and skins out of
your dye bath to create a consistent dye
for your textiles you can do this by
pouring the dye into a new container
at this point you can add your soaked
textiles to the dye bath
ensure they are evenly covered in the
dye before you leave them to soak
overnight to 24 hours is normally a good
amount of time
now you'll have some time on your hands
waiting for your textiles to soak
after letting your fabric sit overnight
or for a day
you can take your dyed fabrics out of
the dye bath and place them
in clean water to rinse any unstuck dye
out
it's a good idea to gently wash your
guide goods and
cold water in a washer at home in
addition to hand washing them
this ensures all excess dye is out
once your dyed goods are clean you can
hang them to dry
you will see different fibers absorb
different dyes differently which means
you'll get a broad range of colors
depending on the materials you use
don't waste your dye bath either by
pouring it down the sink
they are great nutrient for your acid
loving plants
our next die source is the onion's
tannin rich peel makes it an excellent
dye source and one that's common in most
kitchens
its peel yields a range of color from
dull brown
to mustard yellow to create this dye
recipe you'll need
clean textiles any natural fiber will
work
i'm using old sheets and scrap fabric
onion peels you can use both yellow and
red
two pots a spoon
and tongs firstly
place the onion skins you have saved in
a cooking pot
dip them with your spoon in the water so
they cook thoroughly
cook the skins for an hour at low heat
while your onions cook you can soak your
fabric in room temperature water
for an hour carefully ensure all your
fabric is submerged before you leave it
to sit
after skins have been cooked the dye
bath should be a soft orange color
pour the dye in a separate pot and
remove skins
dip your wedded textiles in the dye bath
once your textiles are evenly soaked in
the dye bath you can leave them to sit
overnight
now you'll have some time on your hands
waiting for your textiles to soak
after your textiles have sat in the dye
bath overnight or for 24 hours
they're ready to rinse
you can also experiment with bread onion
skins which will yield a dark ruby or
brown color
once your dried goods are clean you can
hang them to dry
be sure to only use food safe
ingredients in the pots and dishes you
cook with
and always work in a well-ventilated
space
food waste is a significant resource
issue but it also has huge potential as
a mine and materials for a range of
sustainable design practices
i hope you enjoy experimenting in your
own kitchen