Please note this lesson is based on a 1 hour and 20 minute classes. This lesson covers 3 days.

Natural Dyeing Recipe

Teaching Methodology: Cooperative learning
Course and Grade: Textiles 11 Topic: Natural dyes

Background Information/Important points to make about the technique/skill/recipe:
Safety when dyeing
Safety when using a stove
Knife safety

Objectives:
C2: experiment with basic processes used to colour and embellish fabric
D2: demonstrate an understanding of influences on fashion and textile choices
Global and environmental (Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia., 2007)

Pre-Preparation
Day 1 Day 2
Day 3
Book computer lab or laptop cart
Upload You Tube videos
o Detox: How People Power is Cleaning up Fashion
(Greenpeace, 2014)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZucclsuKaU
o In Search of Lost Colour: The story of natural
dyes screen (Media, 2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvAAzi3mo00
Arrange to borrow the
foods lab for the day
Tear white cotton into
strips
Pre-soak and simmer for
an hour in fixative
baths. Half of the strips
in vinegar base and half
in a salt base.
Book computer labs or
laptop cart

Day 1 of 3

Consumable Supplies Needed Equipment Needed
Laptops or computer lab booked
Projector

Time Lesson Plan Teaching
Methodology Notes



5
mins








Introduction:
Opening Exercise: Think-Pair-Share (15 minutes total)

Think questions:
1) Are your pants and top bad for the environment?
2) Why, do you think they are good or bad for the environment?
3) What information do you need to gather to support your view?

Pair and Share: Find a partner and share thoughts with their partner.




Think-Pair-Shareis a
cooperative learning
technique.
There are typically three
parts:
Think: Let the students
think about the
question(s) for a minute
or two individually,
forming their own ideas
and opinions.
Pair and Share: Have the
students pair up, and
share their ideas. Here
they further develop their
views, and incorporate
5
mins

Have two pairs join and write: WYK (What Do You Know)
What do you know about dyeing fabric.
Any questions they may have about how fabrics are dyed
What impact fabric dyeing has on the environment?

those of others

WYK: Allows students to
establish what prior
knowledge they have
about a topic
5
mins
Show the video: Detox: How People Power is Cleaning up Fashion
(Greenpeace, 2014)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZucclsuKaU

Today you will be looking for natural ingredients to dye fabric. What do
you think of when you hear "natural fabric dyes"? What foods or natural
ingredients do you think can be used to make dyes.


5
mins
Show the class the video: In Search of Lost Colour: The story of
natural dyes screen (Media, 2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvAAzi3mo00




35
mins
Assignment ~ Is using natural dyes a viable alternative to synthetic dyes?
1) Go over the cooperative experiment assignment and assessment page.

2) In their group of 4-5, have students begin researching methods to create
their assigned colour. Each member must find a unique ingredient that
would create the assigned colour.

Each person will hand in a recipe that will produced their assigned
colour with proper referencing of their source.
As a group they will only be preparing 3 dye pots; therefore, they must
decide as a group which recipes they think will yield the best results.
In addition they must be able to get the pigment ingredient for next class.
They can purchase ingredients at grocery stores (turmeric, beets, etc) or
look for them in the local environment.

By having the class split
into 7 groups of 4-5
students, we set up the
scenario for Cooperative
Learning. Each member
will research ingredients
that can produce the
assigned colour, but by
having the group prepare
fewer dyes than members
they must come together
and share what they
learned and decide which
dye ingredients they think
will be most successful.

25
mins
25 minutes before end of class each group must
Select the 3 dye ingredients they want to use for their dyeing
experiments.
Each person will hand in the recipe he/she researched that will
produce the groups assigned colour, including source reference.
As a group determine which group member will be responsible
for bringing each of the ingredients

Exit Slip
1. Before leaving each group must submit their ingredients list and
which group member is responsible for bringing each ingredient to
the teacher.
2. Each student must hand in his/her individual recipe.





Day 2 of 3
*** To be done in the foods lab.

Consumable Supplies Needed Equipment Needed
White cotton torn into strips Stainless steel pots
Salt Stainless steel spoons
Vinegar Cutting boards
Water Knives
Used plastic yogurt containers (20-25) Portable cloth dryer
Clothes pegs
Masking tape
Markers
Stainless steel tongs


Time Lesson Plan Teaching
Methodology Notes

5 mins
Introduction
Begin by going over safety procedures
1. No running in the lab
2. Please wear rubber gloves and aprons
3. Use tongs to remove fabric swatches from the
dye
4. How to use a knife safely when preparing ingredients
5. Review stove safety
6. How to measure ingredients both dry and liquid.


Have each colour group set up in a lab.


10
mins

Let
simmer
for 40
mins
Part A: Preparing the dye pots
Each group should have their own recipes for their pigment pots. Below
is basic recipe.

To make the dye solution:
1. Chop plant material into small pieces and place in a pot.
2. Double the amount of water to plant material.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour.
(Pioneer Thinking Company, 2014)

In their groups students will prepare small batches of dyes in small
cooking pots. Each group will create 3 different dye pots.

As they are preparing their dye pots they should be recording
how much of the pigment ingredient they are using and how
much water is required for their dye pot.


Students will work together
to prepare their dye pots.
While chopping and adding
water, they must also record
the amounts they are using.







Time Lesson Plan Teaching Methodology
Notes

10
mins
Part B: How to prepare the fabric for dying
While the dyes are simmering, bring student to the front to class explain
how to prepare the fabric by soaking in a colour fixative. The fixative
allows the colour to set in the fabric

Color Fixatives:
Salt Fixative (for berry dyes) 1/2 cup salt to 8 cups cold water
Vinegar Fixative (for plant dyes) 4 parts cold water to 1 part vinegar

1. Add fabric to the fixative and simmer for an hour.
2. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out excess water and place in dye
pot. (Pioneer Thinking Company, 2014)

The fabric will be
prepared by the teacher
ahead of the class, so
that students simply
must select which
fixative solution fabric
to use.



10
mins


















10
mins

Part C: Submerge Dyes
After discussing fixatives, go over how to dye the fabric.

Dyeing Directions
1. Once dyes are ready. Strain to remove the chopped pigment
ingredient.
2. Return the dyed water to the pot.
3. Have students get a strip of cotton from the appropriate fixative
pot.
4. Have students submerge their fabric using stainless steel tongs and
bring to a boil
5. Remove from heat. Once cooled slightly pour the fabric and dye
into a labeled yogurt container.
Below will be done next class
6. Once the desired colour is reached remove from water and rinse
with water until it runs clear.
7. Hang to dry on the clothes rack and mark with a labeled clothes
peg. (each person should label their clothes peg with a piece of
masking tape.)

After going over how to dye, have students prepare the following:
get and label a yogurt container for each dye ingredient ~
group name and ingredient
get and label clothes pins for each dye ingredient ~ group
name and ingredient

This will be a quick
review as many should
be familiar with this
process from their
research.

10
mins
Groups will return to the lab to strain the pigment ingredient and begin
dyeing fabric.
Once brought to a boil, remove from heat and let cool, while starting to
clean up.
Once cooled slightly pour dye and fabric into the appropriately labeled
yogurt container.


10
mins
Clean-up & Conclusion
1. All cooking utensils and pots will need to be
washed in hot soapy water and dried.
2. All labeled yogurt containers will need to be
placed on the trolley or in the bin.



Day 3 of 3
Consumable Supplies Needed Equipment Needed
Markers Laptop cart or computer lab booked
Paper

Time Lesson Plan Teaching Methodology
Notes

5
mins
Introduction
Review the purpose of the assignment:
1. First, to develop a recipe page for the assigned colour that other
students will be able to use to recreate that colour.
2. Second, to examine how dyeing material impacts the
environment, including consideration to how far an ingredient
must travel to get to a grocery store.
3. Third to decide if using natural dyes is a viable alternative to
synthetic dyes.



5 -10
mins



40
mins
Development
Have students get into their colour groups and rinse and hang colour
swatches to dry.

Looking at the dyed swatches, and as a group determine which they think
is the best example of their assigned colour and why?

As a group they will create their group recipe page. Remind students of
the importance of justifying why their dye pigment ingredients is less
harmful to the environment than traditional chemical dyes. Encourage
students to investigate the global footprint of the ingredient they used.
For example although you can get turmeric from the grocery store and it
is natural, students should consider where the turmeric has travelled from
originally.

The group must also make a second page displaying all the samples they
made labelling the ingredients used to make each sample.

Students should also take this time to complete a self-reflection on the
experiment.

Again students will have to
work as a group to determine
which fabric swatch turned
out best and why. In addition
they will have to consider the
environmental repercussions
of using that ingredient.

Review the assessment of the
recipe page. They will be
marked as a group

The assessment includes a
group mark and an individual
work ethic mark. In the self-
reflections students must
indicate how they helped the
group be successful.

5
mins
Conclusion
Remind students that the completed recipe page is due next class. As we
will be introducing our next textile project next class, students will not
have time in class to work on it.


Conclusion of Assignment:
Each group will submit a recipe page highlighting their best example of their color, the recipe used to create that
swatch, and the environmental justification. On the second page all additional swatches should be attached, and
the ingredient(s) used to create it. Each student must also submit their personal reflection.

Once all recipe pages have been submitted and the class has examined the ingredients used and the dyeing
results as a class we will discuss whether or not natural ingredient fabric dyeing a viable alternative to synthetic
dyes. Things we will consider: environmental impact of the synthetic versus natural, origins of the ingredients,
using food to dye instead of eating when there are hunger issues, the dye results (saturation and color options)
and processing time for synthetic vs natural dyes.

Extension ideas:
Research dyeing techniques associated with a particular culture.
Research natural dyes used in certain regions or cultures
Study embellishment techniques that can be accomplished through fabric dyeing.
Looking at the cost of the materials vs synthetic dyes.
Cost of clothing ~ what makes clothing expensive?
Is $8 at a store the true price of the clothing? Show Youtube video: France 24 Environment The color
of your clothes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdQDFpVRvCI


References
France 24, E. (Director). (2012). FRANCE 24 Environment - The color of your clothes [Motion Picture].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdQDFpVRvCI
Greenpeace (Director). (2014). Detox: How People Power is Cleaning up Fashion [Motion Picture]. Retrieved
from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZucclsuKaU
Kaye, L. (2013, August 12). Cothing to dye for: the textile sector must confront water risks. The guardian.
Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/dyeing-textile-sector-water-risks-
adidas
Media, C. A. (Director). (2008). In Search of Lost Colour: The Story of Natural Dyes Screen [Motion Picture].
Contemporary Arts Media http://www.artfilms.com.au. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvAAzi3mo00
Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia. (2007). Home Economics: Textiles 8 to 12: Integrated
Resource Package 2007. Victoria: Ministry of Education, Province of British Columbia.
Pioneer Thinking Company. (2014). Making Natural Dyes from Plants. Retrieved from Pioneer Thinking:
http://pioneerthinking.com/crafts/natural-dyes