
Ready to dive into natural dyeing? Welcome to The Apothecary! Here you'll find our line of natural dyes, mordants, and tools to get you started on your dyeing journey.
18 products































WELD DYE (Reseda Luteola)
Dye Colour: Yellow and Green (when overdyeing) | Country of Collection: Typically Europe
Weld (Reseda Luteola) is a renowned plant-based colourant with a rich history, often used to create high-quality dyes in temperate regions. Paired with other traditional dye plants like Madder, Woad, and Dyer's Chamomile, it yields beautiful shades of yellow, which can then be overdyed with Woad to create the iconic Saxon and Lincoln greens. Legend has it that Lincoln Green was the signature hue of Robin Hood and his outlaws, achieved by overdyeing Weld yellow with Woad blue.
Colour Fastness: Excellent
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Embrace the rich tradition of Weld dye and bring centuries-old colours to your fibre projects, from vibrant yellows to lush greens when combined with Woad.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences, join courses and get support from fellow growers and dyers.
RHUBARB ROOT GROUND ONLY
Dye Colour: Yellow Brown, Green (with Iron), Pink (with Soda Ash) – pH and Mordant Dependent | Country of Collection: China
Rhubarb root is a captivating natural dye, producing a spectrum of colours that vary depending on the pH of the dye bath and the mordant used. Known as a Quinone dye, it is rich in tannins, which yield earthy yellow-brown and green hues with iron. A higher pH will shift the colour to delicate pinks or reds, though these tones are less colourfast. Notably, the yellow and green shades are more stable, maintaining their colour for longer.
Colour Fastness:
pH Sensitivity: High pH will shift the colour to red.
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio & pH/Mordant:
Basic Recipe for Wool:
Instructions:
Explore the versatility of Rhubarb Root as a natural dye and unlock a range of rich, pH-dependent colours in your yarn and fabric projects!
GLOSSY BUCKTHORN BARK DYE (Frangula alnus)
Dye Colour: Golden Yellow, Pinks, and Reds | Country of Collection: Bosnia
Glossy Buckthorn Bark is a pH-sensitive natural dye, wild-collected in Bosnia. Historically valued for its versatile colour range, it delivers golden yellow tones at a neutral pH, shifts to pink and red at higher pH levels (10–11), but it is unstable; and can yield green with the addition of iron. This bark’s gentle fragrance and good colour fastness make it a favourite among natural dyers and paint makers alike.
Colour Fastness: Good
Ingredients: 65g Buckthorn Bark, 100g Mordanted Wool (approx. 13g Alum)
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences, join courses and get support from fellow growers and dyers.
SAFFLOWER DYE (Carthamus tinctorius)
Dye Colour: Soft Yellow and Red | Country of Collection: Iran
Safflower, a thistle-like plant native to arid environments, offers a stunning soft yellow and red dye, making it a great choice for dyeing natural fibres like linen and cotton. While it produces a warm red, the process to extract this colour is intricate, requiring extended soaking, kneading, and rinsing. By adjusting the pH and repeating these steps, you can achieve a richer red tone on plant-based fibres. This lengthy process is well worth the effort for those seeking vibrant hues, especially for linen, cotton, and other plant fibres.
Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Yellow:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Notes:
Embrace the natural beauty of Safflower dye and create stunning, soft yellow and red tones for your textile or paper projects.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
FUSTIC HARDWOOD ~ Dyer's Mulberry, Old Fustic or Yellowwood
Dye Colour: Yellow and Green | Country of Collection: Unknown (Typically sourced from tropical regions) | Maclura tinctoria or Chlorophora tinctoria
Fustic, introduced to Europe in the 16th century, is a classic natural dye that produces vibrant yellow tones and clear greens when overdyed with indigo. Sourced from the hardwood of the Chlorophora or Morus tinctoria tree, a member of the Mulberry family, Fustic is known for its strength, requiring only 50% of the dye by weight of fibre (W.D.F.). The wood chips used for dyeing are reusable, allowing for multiple dye baths.
Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Unlock the potential of this traditional dye, whether you're looking for a rich yellow, earthy green, or vibrant hues when combined with other dyes like Indigo.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
ORGANIC SAGE OFFICINALIS CUT
Dye Colour: Greenish Yellow and Green | Country of Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial, evergreen subshrub from the Mediterranean region, now widely cultivated for its culinary, medicinal, and dyeing properties. These cut, organic leaves produce soft greenish-yellow tones in natural dyeing, which can be shifted to richer greens with the addition of iron. Perfect for those seeking a versatile herb that is both fine for consumption and ideal for natural dye projects.
Colour Fastness: Good to Excellent
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Also available as a downloadable Sage recipe PDF and a convenient dye kit. Whether you use sage for a soothing herbal infusion, a fragrant addition to meals, or a natural colourant for your favourite yarn, this ancient herb connects your creative and culinary pursuits to centuries of tradition. Enjoy the earthy beauty that sage brings to your natural dye projects.
ORGANIC HEATHER DYE (Calluna vulgaris)
Dye Colour: Golden Yellow and Green-Brown | Country of Collection: Croatia
This organic heather dye (Calluna vulgaris) is wild-harvested in Croatia and includes the aerial parts of the plant—stems, leaves, and remaining flowers—making it a strong and versatile botanical dye. Traditionally used for colouring wool and tweed, it produces rich golden yellows and green-browns, especially when modified with iron.
Due to its natural tannin content, this heather dye is perfect for creating deeper, earthier tones that reflect the plant’s native landscape.
Colour Fastness: Poor - Medium
Ingredients:
• 100–200% Heather (by weight of fibre)
• 10% Alum (for mordanting)
• Optional: 3% Iron
Instructions:
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences, join courses and get support from fellow growers and dyers.
ORGANIC NETTLES ~ Used as herb and dye. Dye Colour yellow and green.
Country of Origin: Hungary
Urtica Fol. Organic, often known as common nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe it has now spread worldwide.
Nettles have been used since ancient times and can be eaten, are used in herbal medicine and dyeing.
Nettles can be used fresh and dry - similar to Lovage, the best results are achieved with fresh plants, but dried plant material works well as well.
Colourfastness: medium
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Basic recipe:
100-200% Nettle (100% if using fresh only)
3-5% Iron
Wool (mordanted 10% Alum)
Line the pot with a cloth. Fill the pot half with water and add the nettle.
Bring to about 85-95 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.
Tie dye in Cloth and leave in bath.
Add wool and simmer gently for 1 hour.
Add 3% -5% iron to the dye bath to turn it green.
Remove after about 10min, rinse & dry.
Organic European Solidago
Dye Colour: Yellow, Orange, and Green | Organically Grown in Poland
Our Organic Solidago, also known as Goldenrod, is carefully grown and harvested in Europe, specifically Poland. Solidago is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, with species found across meadows, prairies, and savannas, and is native to North America. This beautiful plant produces vibrant yellow, orange, and green hues when used for natural dyeing, making it a versatile addition to your dyeing projects.
Colour Fastness: Medium - Good
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Yellow:
Unlock the potential of this naturally vibrant dye and enjoy the rich colours it brings to your fabrics and yarns.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
BIRCH LEAVES DYE (Betula pendula)
Dye Colour: Yellow and Green (with Iron)
Country of Collection: Typically Europe
Birch (Betula pendula) is a deciduous hardwood tree native to Europe, widely valued in natural dyeing for its soft golden hues. The dried leaves yield a reliable yellow, which can shift to green with iron - making it a versatile natural dye for fibre artists.
Closely related to alders and hazels, birch is a classic in traditional botanical dye practices.
Colour Fastness: Good
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Use birch leaves to explore a range of nature-inspired shades. Whether you’re aiming for warm yellows or forest greens this traditional dye brings a timeless, organic beauty to your work.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
WHOLE POMEGRANATE FLOWERS (Punica granatum)
Dye Colour: Yellow | Country of Collection: India (Wild Collection)
Whole Pomegranate Flowers are a natural dye source that yields a lovely yellow colour, perfect for dyeing wool and silk. Collected from the wild in India, these flowers provide a deeper yellow hue depending on the quantity used. Though pomegranate flowers are a beautiful option for natural dyeing, their colour fastness is poor, meaning the vibrant yellow tones may fade over time. Pomegranate flowers are versatile and can also be used in soap making or consumed, adding a natural element to your crafting or culinary creations.
Colour Fastness: Poor
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Yellow:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Embrace the natural richness of Whole Pomegranate Flowers to create soft yellow hues in your fibre projects, perfect for sustainable crafting and eco-friendly dyeing.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
The birch tree, scientifically named Betula pendula, is a type of thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree found in the Betulaceae family. This family includes other types of trees such as alders, hazels, and hornbeams, and is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. When using birch bark (cut), be aware that the dye colour of pink, browns, and salmon, though very pretty, can have poor to medium colour fastness.
Colour fastness: poor - medium
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Basic Recipe:
Alum (mordant) 10-15% D.W.F
Birch Bark 100-200% D.W.F
Pour boiling water over the bark and steep for 24-48h
Boil the bark for two hours and strain. Add the mordanted yarn to the bath and leave until desired colour outcome or overnight.
*You can change the colour using iron, or other shifters like soda ash or citric acid
Dyer's Chamomile Flowers
Dye Colour: Yellow | Botanical: Cota tinctoria | Grown & Dried in Ireland
Experience the joy of working with our fully dried Dyer's Chamomile Flowers, which we personally produce and hand-collect in County Clare, Ireland. These vibrant yellow flowers are packed with natural dye, ideal for colour extraction. They are suitable for flower printing and are perfect for adding a rich, warm tone to your dyeing projects. Limited availability – don't miss out on these unique, locally grown flowers!
Colour Fastness: Good - Excellent
Product Details:
Mordant-Based Recipe for Wool (Hot and Cold Dyeing):
Ingredients:
Instructions (Hot Dyeing):
Instructions (Cold Dyeing):
Enjoy the vibrant yellows that this locally grown Dyer's Chamomile will bring to your wool fibres, whether you prefer hot or cold dyeing methods!
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers & Dyers.
ROSEHIP SHELLS ORGANIC CUT OR GROUND
Dye Colour: Yellow and Orange | Country of Collection: Ground from South Africa, Cut from Eastern Europe
Rosehip shells, sourced from Eastern Europe (cut) and South Africa (ground), offer a beautiful natural dye that imparts a light yellow to vibrant orange hue on protein fibres like wool and silks, depending on the quantity used. Best for protein fibres, this organic dye is also suitable for soap making and consumption, adding an eco-friendly touch to your crafting projects.
Colour Fastness: Poor to Medium
Colour Outcomes by WOF Ratio:
Basic Recipe for Dyeing:
Ingredients: 200g Rosehip Shells, 100g Wool or Silk (mordanted with 10% Alum)
Instructions:
Rosehip Shells provide a warm, earthy dye perfect for creating a natural palette in your fibre arts, offering beautiful yellow and orange hues, especially for protein fibres.
Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your experiences and get support from fellow growers.
German Weld (Reseda luteola) – Dried Natural Dye Plant
Our German Weld offers clear, lightfast yellow for your natural dye projects. With a yellow dye content of 5–8%, this classic botanical dye delivers reliable, vibrant results on wool, silk, and cellulose fibres. Sourced from Germany and carefully dried, it’s a staple for every natural dyer’s studio.
Weld (Reseda luteola) is renowned for producing beautiful yellow shades and for its role in creating historic greens such as Saxon or Lincoln green (achieved by dyeing indigo first, then weld). Consistent, high-quality results every time.
Colour fastness: Excellent
Simple Recipe:
A basic recipe for dyeing wool with Reseda:
Use 50–100% Reseda (Weld) extract at 80°C for one hour. (Strongest yellow achieved with 100%)
Add 7–10% soda ash
Wool mordanted with alum at 10%—leave overnight for best results
Perfect for beginner and experienced dyers alike!
Sourced from Germany
5–8% yellow dye content
Dried, cut plant material (not powdered)
Sold by weight (kg)
Excellent lightfastness
(Reseda luteola / Dyer’s Weld)
Bring a piece of Ireland’s dye heritage into your studio with our homegrown Weld! Grown in Co. Clare from our own carefully saved seed, we follow organic standards and sustainable practices throughout the growing process—though we are not organically certified (yet). Every plant is tended by hand, using eco-friendly, regenerative methods from seed to harvest.
We love closing the loop: spent dye plants from our studio are transformed through our worm composting system, returning as rich compost to nourish the next generation of Weld. It’s a full-circle, regenerative approach that brings even more life to our fields and colours to your work.
This listing is for dried Weld plants, shredded for your convenience. Stock is limited each year according to our small-scale approach.
Weld, or Dyer’s Reseda, is one of the oldest sources of brilliant, lightfast yellow for natural dyeing. From the Mediterranean to Irish fields, this plant has coloured textiles for thousands of years. Over-dye with indigo to create historic Saxon and Lincoln greens—the legendary colours of Robin Hood’s band!
We trialled our homegrown Irish Weld against both German Weld and our standard imported Weld, and the results were clear—our Irish-grown Weld produced the strongest, most vibrant colour of all. We’re delighted to share the best results from our fields with you!
Weld is the base for many of our favourite greens. The clear yellow it yields is prized for its clarity, vibrancy, and excellent colour fastness.
Grown in: Co. Clare, Ireland
From our own saved seed
Grown to organic standards (not certified)
Regeneratively grown using our own worm-composted dye matter
Hand-harvested, shredded, and dried
Sold as: Shredded dried Weld
Limited stock
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A basic recipe for dyeing wool with Reseda:
50-100% Reseda (Weld) extract at 80C for one hour. (The strong yellow on the felt was achieved with 100%)
Add 7-10% Soda Ash
Wool (mordanted with Alum @10%) - leave overnight.
Perfect for beginner and experienced dyers alike!
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