Fabrics For Natural Dyeing (And Where To Find Them)

When it comes to naturally dyeing fabrics at home, and the hopes to do so in the most environmentally conscious way, the task of hunting down the ideal manufacturer can be a really daunting one! Factoring in a company’s social and environmental impact, while looking to find the highest quality in fabric can quite quickly become really overwhelming!

So to make things a little easier, I’ve collated a list below of companies, from all over the globe, that produce fabrics that would act as an ideal canvas for whatever natural dye projects you might have in mind, taking into consideration both their social and environmental impacts.

Top tip: You can use any natural fibres with plant dyes. This includes plant fibres like cotton, hemp, linen and bamboo, and also protein fibres like silk, wool and alpaca.

The Fabric Store (AUS/ NZ)

When a fabric merchant leads their operations with the core values of mindfulness, respect, creativity, and quality- you know you’re onto a good thing- and here at the The Fabric Store, that is precisely the case.

Located online and in-store across 8 locations in both AUS and NZ, The Fabric Store infuses elements of sustainability across a range of their processes and products. Stocking a broad selection of dead-stock fabrics (which would otherwise be sent to landfill), ensuring the use of compostable packaging, aiding in the diversion of fabric off-cuts to local schools and charities as well as utilising collected rain water and worm farms at their NZ HQ, they’ve really got it all covered.

Queen Of Raw (USA)

On a mission to combat what would equal over $120 billion worth of dead-stock fabric, sitting in warehouses across the world today, Queen of Raw has developed an online marketplace, designed for users to buy and sell their dead-stock material.

Ranging from organic cotton to peace silk, luxury designer fabrics to interior hardwares, Queen of Raw not only hosts a platform where users can aid in rescuing dead-stock fabrics, but through the presence and voice of CEO Stephanie Benedetto, are pushing for dramatic, positive change within the fabric manufacturing/watse industry.

Fabscrap (USA)

Located in person across two US locations (Brooklyn and Philly) as well as online for global reach, Fabscrap are making waves in the commercial textile space, running an initiative that collects, sorts and sells secondhand fabrics, giving a new life to what might otherwise be buried or burnt.

Shoppers can engage both in-store and online and for those located nearby, Fabscrap hosts a range of volunteering sessions, teaching those that are interested to sort and prepare fabric, in exchange for a selection of free stock.

Bulk Hemp Warehouse (USA)

Hosts of a social fair-trade enterprise, where employees are involved in the negotiation of wages, given comfortable working conditions and hours, Bulk Hemp Warehouse goes above and beyond to provide services and products that acknowledge both their social and environmental impact.

Hemp, being the worlds strongest and most durable of all natural textile fibres, sits at the centre of this enterprises foundational ethos. Offering a variety of fabrics and products that involve this high-performing fibre across their site.

Offset Warehouse (UK)

Passionate about incorporating both a positive social and environmental impact, while providing fabric stock that never fails to dazzle, Offset Warehouse has you covered for all of your ethical fabric needs.

Developed by an ethically-driven designer, desperate to explore the fashion world without harming others or the environment, each and every fabric, stocked by Offset Warehouse has been meticulously researched, background-checked and approved, curating a selection of materials with both a social and sustainable guarantee.

Core Fabrics (CAN)

Committed to providing their customers with environmentally sustainable and ethically produced textiles, prioritising eco-certified, organic, recycled, dead-stock, fair trade and artisanal fabrics, Core Fabrics in passionate about empowering via their transparency.

From crisp linens and swishy silks to intricate handwoven cotton, their site makes online fabric shopping as intuitive as it should be, providing detailed descriptions, captivating imagery and a blog site with engaging projects creative stories.

Lebenskleidung (GER)

Based online and in-store within the city of Berlin, Lebenskleidung is one of Germany’s leading sustainably-focussed fabric merchants.

Established in 2008 from a team of 5, each fabric’s background is thoroughly investigated, ensuring a responsible social and environmental impact and a quality that is built to last. Lebenskleidung stocks a broad range of textiles, dead-stock and even a selection of organic haberdashery bits and bobs.

Keen to learn more? Download the free ebook ‘Natural Dyeing For Beginners’ or join me in our online course!