ORGANIC CUT NETTLE DYE

Organic Cut Nettle Leaf Natural Dye

Urtica dioica · Organic · Dried and Cut · Hungary

Create soft botanical yellows, yellow-greens and earthy olive shades with organic cut nettle leaf.

Dried nettle produces more muted results than freshly harvested plants, but it remains a useful botanical dye for wool, silk, cotton and linen. Alum can help develop clearer yellow and yellow-green shades, while a carefully controlled iron bath shifts the colour towards olive, moss and grey-green.

For clearer greens, apply nettle yellow over fibre that has already been dyed with indigo or woad.

At a glance

How much to use

For dried cut nettle leaf, use approximately:

100-200g nettle per 100g dry fibre

This is equivalent to 100-200% WOF - weight of dry fibre.

Begin with approximately 100% WOF for a lighter shade or increase to 200% WOF for stronger colour.

Fresh nettles generally produce livelier initial greens than dried material. This product consists of dried, cut leaves and normally produces softer yellow, yellow-green and olive shades.

Sample first when working towards a particular colour.

Basic dyeing guide

1. Prepare: Scour and mordant the fibre using a suitable method, then wet it thoroughly. For wool, use approximately 10% alum WOF or follow your preferred wool-mordanting method.

2. Contain the nettle: Line the pot with a cloth or place the cut nettle inside a dye bag.

3. Extract: Cover with water and heat to approximately 85–90°C for one hour. Avoid vigorous boiling.

4. Strain: Remove or tie off the cloth. The contained plant material may remain in the bath for a stronger extraction.

5. Dye: Add the thoroughly wetted fibre and hold the bath at approximately 80–85°C for one hour.

6. Deepen: Allow the fibre to cool in the bath. Leave it overnight where a deeper shade is required.

7. Finish: Remove the fibre, rinse thoroughly and wash gently.

Dyeing cotton, linen or other cellulose fibres? Find suitable mordanting methods here.

Creating olive green with iron

Nettle yellow can be modified towards olive, moss and grey-green with an iron afterbath or adding iron to the dye bath.

Use approximately 1–3% iron WOF. Iron acetate is recommended where possible because it is generally gentler on fibres than ferrous sulphate.

Iron water may also be used, although homemade solutions vary considerably in strength. Iron acetate can be prepared by combining carefully measured ferrous sulphate with sodium acetate.

For greater control:

• Dye and rinse the fibre first.

• Prepare a separate iron afterbath.

• Add the fibre for a few minutes, aerate and watch the colour develop. Repeat up to 3 times.

• Rinse thoroughly.

Excessive iron can dull colours and weaken textile fibres.

Creating clearer green with indigo or woad

For clearer greens:

1. Dye the fibre blue with indigo or woad.

2. Rinse and finish the blue-dyed fibre.

3. Mordant it using a suitable method.

4. Overdye it with nettle yellow.

A pale blue base generally produces a brighter green, while a deeper blue base produces darker blue-green shades.

The blue is always applied first, followed by mordanting and the yellow nettle bath.

Tips from the dye pot

Colourfastness

Nettle has medium overall colourfastness.

Wash and rubbing performance can be good when the fibre is properly prepared, while lightfastness may be more limited. Shades can fade or become muted through prolonged exposure to strong sunlight.

Performance also depends on the fibre, mordant, depth of shade, modifiers and aftercare.

Storage and safe handling

• Store tightly sealed, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight.

• For textile dyeing and craft use only.

• Not for consumption or use in food, drinks, cosmetics or herbal preparations.

• Dried nettle and plant dust may irritate the skin, eyes or respiratory system.

• Avoid creating or breathing dust.

• Wear gloves, particularly if sensitive to nettles or plants in the Urticaceae family.

• Prevent contact with the eyes, mouth and open wounds.

• Wear suitable protective equipment when handling dusty material.

• Wear gloves and eye protection when using alum, iron or other modifiers.

• Follow the safety instructions for every mordant and modifier used.

• Use dedicated dyeing equipment—never food-preparation utensils.

• Keep away from food, children and pets.

• For textile dyeing and craft use only - not for consumption.

What you receive

Your chosen net weight of organic dried and cut nettle leaf, supplied in a pouch.

Mordants, iron, indigo, woad and other dyeing supplies are sold separately.

Packaging

We pack as sustainably as we can while protecting your dye materials. Pouch types may vary according to pack size and the availability of our preferred lower-impact options.

Display jars are not included.

Learn with us

Join The Natural Dyers & Growers Academy to share your results, ask questions and explore natural colour alongside fellow natural dyers and dye-plant growers.