Natural Dyes

We use a range of plant materials, insects, and pigments to create our natural dye clothing. If you enjoy an appearance that can range from a tie-dyed effect to darker and lighter spots then Natural Dyes are a great choice. Natural dyes do tend to fade faster then the fiber reactive dyes but they have amazing wellness benefits and are hands down the most eco friendly. Plant dyes can easily be bleached or stained by natural soaps, deodorants, and detergents and as such require more effort and mindfulness when worn and laundered. Acidic foods such as orange juice can remove natural dye colors if spilled on the naturally dyed fabric.

Natural dyes are as unpredictable as nature itself, so if you are looking for a deep saturation with little to no imperfections and easy wash and go we recommend choosing a Fiber Reactive Low Impact Dye color over our natural dyes.

The Beauty of Hand Dyed Garments

Inconsistency and variations of color is to be expected and part of the beauty of hand dying organic fabric. This means our colors will shift from dye bath to dye bath and from season to season, based on the specific conditions when each fiber was grown. It is truly our joy to honor the Nature of Nature by allowing her to speak through our clothing in this way. Thanks so much for joining us and we hope you enjoy your one of a kind Gaia Garment.

Variations in Color

Below are clothing images of our Natural Plant Dye Color options on a range of fabrics. We cannot create one color variation over another, or control how color may appear on your computer or mobile device’s screen so please expect a slight variation of the colors shown below. Colors will always look different depending on your computer’s color settings, the settings of the camera and light when an image was taken, and your individual color perception.

PURCHASE Plant Fiber COLOR SAMPLE

Purchase silk fiber color sample

INDIGO

A range from light to med blue, similar in appearance to denim.

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Indigo Vat Dyeing Method which includes Indigo, Madder, Soda Ash, and Yeast

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF INDIGO:
Profoundly calming to the nervous system and it promotes physical and mental Rest. Anti bacterial/fungal properties, immune stimulation ,skin detoxification & purification, blood purification. The color created with Vat Indigo balances the heart, stimulates the lungs, Liver, thymus, and lymph system.

INDIGO SOURCE:
Our indigo is sourced from India

CHAKRA:
Third-eye – Ajna

amethyst

A marbled purple, blue, and pink created by layering 3 colors. The surface has a tie-dyed appearance created with layers of natural plant dye colors

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Madder, Cochineal, Indigo, soda ash, yeast

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF MADDER:
Powerful stimulant for the sympathetic nervous system, which deals with fight or flight stress, and increases Adrenalin output. Increases heart rate, blood pressure, and nerve awareness. Also associated with LIFE, love, sex, assertion, strength, and excitement.

MADDER SOURCE:
Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout India, South East Asia, Turkey, Europe, South China, parts of Africa, Australia and Japan.

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF INDIGO:
Profoundly calming to the nervous system and it promotes physical and mental Rest. Anti bacterial/fungal properties, immune stimulation ,skin detoxification & purification, blood purification. The color created with Vat Indigo balances the heart, stimulates the lungs, Liver, thymus, and lymph system.

INDIGO SOURCE:
Our indigo is sourced from India

COCHINEAL SOURCE:
Cochineal is a scale insect that feeds on the nopal cactus in arid areas of Mexico, Peru, Chile and the Canary Islands, and 85% of the harvest is cultivated by Andean villagers, employing an estimated 400,000 families with this precious cash cop.

CHAKRA:
Crown – Sahasrara

poppy

A marbled red. The surface has a tie-dyed appearance created with layers of natural plant dye colors.

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Madder, Cochineal, chalk

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF MADDER:
Powerful stimulant for the sympathetic nervous system, which deals with fight or flight stress, and increases Adrenalin output. Increases heart rate, blood pressure, and nerve awareness. Also associated with LIFE, love, sex, assertion, strength, and excitement.

MADDER SOURCE:
Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout India, South East Asia, Turkey, Europe, South China, parts of Africa, Australia and Japan.

COCHINEAL SOURCE:
Cochineal is a scale insect that feeds on the nopal cactus in arid areas of Mexico, Peru, Chile and the Canary Islands, and 85% of the harvest is cultivated by Andean villagers, employing an estimated 400,000 families with this precious cash cop.

CHAKRA:
Root – Maladhara

sandalwood

A light earthy brown with hints of orange

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Sandalwood

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS:
Skin beauty enhancement, reduces acne, dark and white spots, calming cooling effect on the body and mind, metaphorical heart-opener, promotes a feeling of peace and serenity.

SOURCE:
As far as I have been able to learn, this is a recycle product, being salvage from the primary use of the trees for their beautiful and fragrant wood. Also, the species is not the rare Sandalwood of the Pacific Islands, but is a common tree in the area of India where it is harvested.

pewter

A drab grey with green undertones

INGREDIENT
Alum Mordant, Pomegranate, Iron Rinse

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF POMEGRANATE:
This nutrient dense, antioxidant rich fruit has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility, and eternal life.

POMEGRANATE SOURCE:
It grows wild in India, Italy, North Africa, and China.

sage

A marbled green created from layering Indigo over tan. The surface has a tie-dyed appearance created with layers of natural plant dye colors.

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Pomegranate, Indigo, madder, soda ash, yeast

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF INDIGO:
Profoundly calming to the nervous system and it promotes physical and mental Rest. Anti bacterial/fungal properties, immune stimulation ,skin detoxification & purification, blood purification. The color created with Vat Indigo balances the heart, stimulates the lungs, Liver, thymus, and lymph system.

INDIGO SOURCE:
Our indigo is sourced from India

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF POMEGRANATE:
This nutrient dense, antioxidant rich fruit has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility, and eternal life.

POMEGRANATE SOURCE:
It grows wild in India, Italy, North Africa, and China.

CHAKRA:
Heart – Anahata

Fox

This is an earthy terra-cotta orange with a marbled or tie-dyed appearance created with layers of natural plant dye colors.

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Madder, Cutch

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS OF MADDER:
Powerful stimulant for the sympathetic nervous system, which deals with fight or flight stress, and increases Adrenalin output. Increases heart rate, blood pressure, and nerve awareness. Also associated with LIFE, love, sex, assertion, strength, and excitement.

MADDER SOURCE:
Madder is cultivated and grows wild throughout India, South East Asia, Turkey, Europe, South China, parts of Africa, Australia and Japan.

CHAKRA:
Sacral – Svadhishthana

SUNSHINE

A very mellow earthy yellow

INGREDIENTS:
Alum Mordant, Fusticwood

POSSIBLE WELLNESS BENEFITS:
Powerful stimulant to the mental process. Increases alertness and cognitive abilities. Helps aid in digestion and dispels gloom. Associated with spiritual light and wealth.

SOURCE:
The dyestuff is the heartwood of a tropical tree related to the mulberry. It gives bright clear yellow when we mordant it with alum. The trees from which this dyestuff has been harvested have grown up wild in the Caribbean Island of the Dominican Republic. No tree is cut down for the harvest: only a large side branch is taken. All heartwood from the center of this branch is cleaned and planed by hand.

CHAKRA:
Solar Plexus – Manipura