Finding Joy in Botanical Dyes: Discover Natural Colour with Malu Colorín
Cultivating a Creative Natural Dye Practice with Malu Colorín
There is something quietly transformative about making colour from plants.
It asks us to slow down. To notice the changing seasons. To pay attention to the plants growing around us, to the fibres in our hands and to the unexpected beauty that appears when nature takes the lead.
For many people, natural dyeing begins with recipes and techniques.
For Malu Colorín, it begins somewhere entirely different—with curiosity, observation and joy.
This September, we are delighted to welcome Malu to the Natural Dyers & Growers Academy with her online course, Finding Joy in Botanical Dyes, a six-week introduction to creating colour from plants while developing a creative practice rooted in nature.
Meet Malu Colorín
Malu is a natural dyer, artist and educator whose work explores the relationship between colour, landscape and community.
Through her work with Talu Earth, she encourages people to reconnect with traditional knowledge while finding their own creative voice through botanical colour.
She is also the founder of the Archipelago Festival of Colour, an international gathering celebrating natural dyes, artists, researchers and textile traditions from around the world.
Rather than separating craft, ecology and community, Malu weaves them together—creating spaces where knowledge is shared generously and creativity flourishes.
More Than Learning to Dye
Natural dyeing can sometimes feel intimidating.
There are mordants to understand.
Fibres to prepare.
Plants to identify.
Recipes to follow.
While these foundations are important, they are only part of the story.
Finding Joy in Botanical Dyes invites you to develop confidence through making, experimenting and observing.
Instead of striving for perfect recipes, you'll learn how to respond to what nature offers—building your own understanding of colour one dye pot at a time.
What You'll Learn
Over six carefully structured modules, you'll work through every stage of creating beautiful botanical colour.
Topics include:
- Choosing fibres and preparing cloth
- Scouring and mordanting
- Dyeing with seasonal plants
- Understanding colour modifiers
- Exploring creative techniques
- Developing your own home dye practice
The course combines pre-recorded lessons with live sessions where you'll be able to ask questions, share your work and learn alongside fellow students.
Learning at Your Own Pace
One of the strengths of the course is its thoughtful structure.
Each module contains bite-sized lessons that you can revisit whenever you need them, making it easy to fit learning around work, family or other commitments.
Whether you complete the course week by week or return to it over the coming months, everything remains available for you to revisit for 6 months after the course has finished.
The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy
At AppleOak FibreWorks, we believe some of the richest learning comes from bringing together voices from different traditions and experiences.
Or join the Full membership to make the most of it
Alongside our own teaching, we regularly invite respected practitioners whose work broadens the conversation around natural colour.
Malu's course beautifully complements our growing Academy, sitting alongside specialist workshops and professional training while offering something uniquely reflective, creative and accessible.
Join Us This September
Whether you've never dyed with plants before, or you're looking to reconnect with the joy that first inspired you, this course offers a welcoming place to begin.
By the end, you'll have developed not only practical skills but also a deeper way of seeing colour in the world around you.
Sometimes learning natural dyeing isn't just about changing fabric.
Sometimes it changes how we notice the landscape itself.
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