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Clare Marie Schneider/NPR
Clare Marie Schneider/NPR
Avocado pits or onion skins are all you need to give an old t-shirt new life — and rethink your waste. Eliza Wapner of Lil Bits Cloth, a friend of Life Kit who uses plant-based dying practices to hand-make garments, says it's all about "rediscovering what's around you and what is already in your environment and turning that into an artistic practice." We're all about starting a new hobby, so we asked Wapner to walk us through a dye recipe that uses basic household items such as laundry detergent and avocado skins and pits (or onion skins).
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While using food items to dye clothing takes patience and time, "This project is just about experimenting and having fun and giving your shirt a new life," says Wapner. Think of it as an at-home science experiment that results in a new article of clothing.
Supplies List:
White t-shirt. Any old t-shirt will do, just make sure it's made of mostly (90% or above) natural fibers — think cotton, linen, silk or wool
3-6 avocado pits and skins or 6-10 onion skins
Large pot (big enough so your shirt can float in the water)
Laundry detergent or any clear unscented soap
*Soda ash (sold at drug stores and grocery stores as laundry detergent)
Metal or plastic utensil for stirring
*Alum (often found in the spices section at grocery stores)
*White Vinegar
*Note: If you don't have access to vinegar, alum and soda ash, Wapner says that your shirt will still take the dye, it just might not be as strong a color. If you do use them to perform step 4, it will make a brighter colored shirt and help the dye last longer.
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Step 1: Fill your pot with water and add ¼ teaspoon laundry detergent (or neutral soap) and ⅛ of a cup of soda ash. Bring the water to a boil and submerge your clean, dry t-shirt in the water. Turn the heat down to a simmer.
Again, make sure you have a big pot. You don't want your shirt to stay in one position — you want the laundry detergent and soda ash to fully and evenly permeate the fabric.
Step 2: Stir your shirt constantly for the first two minutes, and then every 10 minutes for one hour.
You might notice that the water turns a yellow color — that's okay! Wapner says that during the clothing manufacturing process, different waxes, spinning materials and oils can get onto your shirt. This step will help clean your shirt as thoroughly as possible to remove any "color-shifters" so that when you apply the onion skins or avocado, the shirt will take the dye evenly.
More resources for natural dyeing practices:
Block Printing with Mordanting From Graham Keegan
The Maiwa Guide To Natural Dyes
The Art And Science Of Natural Dyes
Step 3: Remove your shirt from the pot of water. Wring out your shirt and let it dry.
