🌿 1-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme — Pay in Full (2026)
Starts 13 January 2026 · Online · International cohort
This listing is for full, one-off payment enrolment in the 1-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme.
A structured, mentored course for textile artists, makers, educators and professionals who want to develop confident, repeatable natural dye practice and build a coherent body of work over one year.
Payment option
€1,550 — pay in full
This option gives you full access to the complete 12-month programme, including all live teaching, recordings, community spaces, and portfolio assessment.
Prefer to spread the cost? A monthly payment plan is also available via a separate listing.
Both payment options give full access to the complete programme; the experience is the same whether you pay in full or on a monthly plan.
What happens after you enrol
Once booked, you’ll be invited into our private course platform, where you’ll find an introduction module outlining the year ahead. From there, your learning journey begins.
All live sessions are recorded, making the programme suitable for participants joining from different time zones.
Students have one full year of active Co~Lab room access, with an additional year available to complete portfolio work, should more time be needed.
Course structure & learning format
This is a 12-month, project-based online programme tailored to your own fibres, tools and studio practice. It includes:
• 12 learning modules released monthly
• Live Zoom meetings twice a month (Tuesdays, 1pm GMT)
• Recordings available after every session
• Topic-specific support spaces
• One 1:1 feedback session during your final project
• One optional 4-day in-person module in August
• Course certificate upon completion of the portfolio work
Monthly topics
January — Fibres and their differences
February — Mordanting
March — Tannins
April — Creating blues
May — Creating yellows
June — Creating reds
July — Creating purples
August — Secondary colours & modifiers
September — Lake making and related processes
October — Printing and advanced techniques
November — Industry standards & personal project
December — Final projects & presentations
(Optional deeper explanations for each month are available on the blog.)
Materials
Material lists are released one month in advance, alongside the previous month’s learning content. Each list outlines the fibres, dyes and materials needed for the upcoming module.
Students can choose how to source materials:
Use their own trusted suppliers
Order a discounted monthly materials bundle (dyes and textiles) for the following month
Purchase a year-supply starter box before the course begins (Dye Box and/or Fibre Box)
From August onwards, monthly bundles are replaced with a discount code, as most students will have built up sufficient supplies and individual needs tend to vary.
If you already have preferred suppliers or materials, you’re very welcome to use your own — your portfolio should reflect your individual practice.
Tools & setup
The practical setup is covered in January, at the start of the programme. A full dye studio is not required — a well-organised kitchen or small home workspace is perfectly suitable for the course.
Guidance is provided on safe, manageable setups that work within domestic spaces.
Growing colour (bonus sessions)
Four or more online sessions led by Tristan Lienhard focus on growing and harvesting dye plants such as woad, madder and weld, with an emphasis on organic methods, seasonal timing and seed saving.
An optional in-person session may also be offered separately.
Students enrolled in the 1-Year Professional Natural Dyeing Programme have full access to these sessions for the duration of the course via the Co~Lab rooms.
Community & Academy access
When you enrol, you’ll automatically become a full Natural Dyers & Growers Academy member for one year, with access to:
• All Co~Lab rooms
• Member-only discussion threads
• Bonus sessions and shared learning spaces
Please note: Co~Lab access is available only to current students and/or paid Academy members.
🇮🇪 Irish students — NOTS funding
Irish students may be eligible for 40% funding through NOTS.
Please note:
• The course must be booked directly via NOTS
• Monthly payments are not available for this option
• NOTS may also cover part of the Fibre & Dye Box
More information: Course Details | NOTS Courses
Outcome
By the end of the programme, participants are equipped to:
• Run a professional natural dye practice
• Integrate dyeing into an existing creative business
• Teach others with confidence
• Or deepen their practice as highly informed, reflective makers
Student experience
You can view work by past students in the Exhibition Gallery within the Academy, and read testimonials from previous cohorts further down this page.
Still deciding?
If you’d like a fuller overview of the course structure and teaching approach, you’re welcome to watch the recorded course overview on the main programme page before enrolling.
« The Natural Dye Course offered by Apple Oak has been a wonderful experience. It's a well blended curriculum of the history and science of natural dyeing. Jennifer does an excellent job or leading and supporting her students through the course work. She provides support through problem solving, expanding on specific topics as needed and presenting clear and concise information. It is also a very accessible platform that has made it easy for myself who has a learning disorder (reading is hard) to navigate and use. Overall I would highly recommend the professional dye course to anyone seeking to further their knowledge of natural dyes and the fiber arts through dyeing. - Valeria Q. (Ireland)
« I have found this course really worthwhile, Jennifer is super knowledgeable, helpful and patient. At the beginning I was a little overwhelmed by the portfolio work involved but once I got stuck into it, I’m absolutely loving it! Seeing colour appear before my eyes from only tannin and iron has been so amazing and I can’t wait to move on to the other colors!!- Caroline B. (Switzerland)
« I am a complete novice when it comes to natural dying. The course sounded very comprehensive and supportive so I decided to give it a whirl. I am now almost 5 months into it and am absolutely loving it so much. Although it took me a while to get my head into the space of measurements and science, Jennifer and Tristan were very supportive with questions asked and made sure everyone was on the page. It has opened up a whole new world to me and I would thoroughly recommend it. There has been a lot covered so far so my advice would be to tip away at the work so that it doesn't become overwhelming especially if your a beginner like myself. I'm looking forward to meeting the class in person and seeing the studio in the flesh. - Louise G. (Ireland)
« Jennifer and Tristen have put together an amazing course! I have been naturally dying for for a number of years and thought a knew a lot, until I began my journey with The Natural Dyers Academy. Each module brings something new, and shifts my way of looking at a process. Although the Academy is over zoom, it never feels impersonal. The cohort of learners are so willing to help one another and to offer encouragement. Jennifer has really created a nurturing learning environment. Jennifer and Tristin are always available if a question arises and you never have to wait until the next meeting to raise a question. I am so excited about creating my own work portfolio and plan on filling in with more of my own recipes based upon what I am learning. - Joanmarie S. (USA)
