Color By Nature

Mother Nature is the consummate muse for the couturier, or anyone who likes to work with fibers. Whether by the warm hues of changing fall leaves or the blues of fir trees in snow, we are inspired to make our clothes and décor mimic the color of each season. But for those of us who like do-it-yourself dyeing, our desire to cloak ourselves in nature's hues can ironically lead to the use of harsh chemicals that are neither natural nor eco-friendly.

Conventional chemical textile dyes contain petrochemicals in addition to carcinogenic heavy metals, such as cadmium, chromium VI and arsenic, and mercury and lead, which are known to damage the brain and nervous system. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed several dyes, including azo, triarylmethane and anthraquinone, as hazardous waste materials because of the groundwater contamination potential surrounding manufacturing plants. Many dyes are also potent allergens triggering contact dermatitis and asthma.

Shoppers may feel better when purchasing items with "low-impact dyes," in an effort to avoid the problems above, but in truth, there is no legal definition for this term. They are often petrochemical-based and contain many of the same harsh chemicals as conventional dyes.

Turning to household dyes may not solve any problems either, as dye manufacturers don't disclose on package labels what types of dyes are used. Commonly, household dyes contain a combination of acid, basic and fiber-reactive dyes. Basic dyes are only mildly allergenic, but both acid and fiber-reactive dyes can cause serious respiratory problems. Repeated inhalation of acid dyes, which contain a mixture of vinegar and diluted sulfuric acid, can result in chronic bronchitis, while fiber-reactive dyes, which contain sodium carbonate (corrosive to lung tissue), can trigger asthma and other respiratory allergies. In addition to containing pigments that may contain the heavy metals listed above, household dyes frequently come in powder form--making them easy to inhale--that, when boiled in a dye bath, produce chemically laden steam vapors.

Dyes derived from plants, however, are a less-toxic alternative that can also be highly creative, if you have space and inclination to grow your own.

If you're an avid gardener, it can be rewarding to grow plants such as indigo and woad to produce blue; Amaranth, raspberries and Lady's Bedstraw to produce red; or marigold and weld to produce yellow. Even the pesky dandelion can contribute a warm yellow hue. And visit the grocery store: Beets, onion skins, berries, tea and coffee grinds all make good dye materials.

Wild-growing plants such as sassafras and goldenrod are also good sources, but don't pick wild plants carelessly. "When you find a plant in the wild that gives a good color but is rare, you shouldn't over-pick it," says Lynne Richards, Ph.D., co-author of Dyes from American Native Plants, which contains tips on harvesting wild plants responsibly.