Natural Dyes

Learn about natural dyes and the natural dyeing process.

A dye is a substance that will create a molecular bond with a fiber, producing colorful fiber that is lightfast (won’t fade in the sun) and wash fast (won’t bleed in water).

Botanical dyes are dyes made from plants. They can be made from leaves, flowers, wood, seeds, etc, and are a sub-set of natural dyes. Natural dyes are made with plants, bugs, or other natural sources.

For MO Fibers Signature Colors, natural dyes powders and extracts are purchased from a trusted natural dye supplier. For Seasonal and Limited items, plant materials from gardens and local Nashville restaurants are used to make botanical dyes, as well as special formulations of natural dye extracts.

Each skein of yarn or yard of fabric takes at least 5 days to prepare and dye. Learn more about the natural dye process here.

When you soak your finished objects, bleeding should be minimal to none at all. All yarn is thoroughly rinsed before drying and sending to you.

All MO Fibers yarn is prepared with a mordant before dyeing, creating the molecular bond needed to 'bite' the color to the fiber. After dyeing, fibers are rinsed until the water runs clear. Some minimal color bleeding is normal with the first wash especially with darker colors like reds, purples and indigo. Your non-naturally dyed clothes bleed too - often more than naturally dyed items. That's why you wash clothes 'with like colors'.

'Crocking', when a small amount of color rubs onto your hands while knitting, may occur with darker shades of fiber dyed with indigo.

Since your home's water is different than the water used to dye the yarn, you may notice more color in your soak sink than what I see when rinsing. This should not impact the color of your yarn, and will not transfer to other fibers.

You may find tiny bits of sand or plant like material while knitting or rinsing. While rinsing is thorough, some dye material might get stuck in the fiber. What you're seeing is the tiny ground roots, rinds, and leaves that make your yarn beautiful!

MO Fibers takes great care to properly prepare organic indigo vats. Unlike other natural dyes that chemically bond to fiber, indigo physically bonds to the fiber as it oxidizes. Indigo dyed yarn is finished with an acid bath and heat to ensure color and light fastness.

Indigo dyed yarn may rub small amounts of blue on your hands as you work with it. This is called crocking, and is a normal part of working with indigo dyed items. Minor crocking does not indicate poor dye quality. Indigo that rubs onto your hands or clothes while working will wash out with soap and warm water. After knitting/crocheting and rinsing, crocking should cease.

Avoid using wood and bamboo needles, as they may stain.

Fiber Care + Wear

Learn about naturally dyed fibers and care.

Yes. All wool fibers are sourced from the US and South America and are museling free.

YES! Alternating skeins each row is also recommended for larger projects to avoid color pooling from color variegation and variance within the same dyelot.

Recipes are followed to maintain consistency of color and shade. However, no two dye pots will be exactly alike. Please note that minor variegation and pooling (slight color transitions) will be different for each skein and between batches, and is a natural part of small batch dyeing.

Sometimes colorways are purposefully created with more color transitions or variations. Many colors, or colors on certain bases are purposefully more variegated.

Dyeing is a science and an art, and many factors influence the end color. The natural dye source/batch, dye bath temperature, pH, water hardness, a slight increase or decrease in the amount of dye used, and the color may come out slightly different.

Natural dyes are naturally themselves, and I hope you enjoy the beauty and variation as much as I do.

Naturally dyed color will last the lifetime of the garment and beyond with proper care. Some fading is expected over time and with regular washing, just like non-naturally dyed clothing. To extend the life of the fibers and deep colors, hand wash in pH neutral soap. Lay knit objects flat to dry. Hang dry fabrics.

Naturally dyed fibers made of cotton and linen can be machine washed in cool water and a gentle detergent. Tumble dry on low. Avoid bleach, baking soda, and vinegar when washing. Do not machine wash and dry wool.Do not dry or store fibers direct sunlight. Avoid wearing deodorant with baking soda while wearing naturally dyed items.

Avoid contact with iron rust and strong acids like lemon juice, wine, or vinegar, which can shift or bleach natural color. If the fiber comes in contact with a strong acid or alkaline substance, immediately soak the garment in cool water and pH neutral soap to neutralize the reaction. Hand wash and line dry.

Take care when spot treating stains and test an area of the fabric first. Dilute pH neutral soap in water and allow to soak on the spot before washing and drying. Multiple gentle treatments and washes may be needed for stubborn stains like oil.

Orders + Returns

Learn about orders, shipping, and returns.

Payment is accepted via PayPal or credit card through secure payment options. If you would like to change your order or have a question, please email contact@mofibers.com with your order number and the requested change.

After ordering, in stock items will ship within 3-5 business days. Dyed-to-order or pre-order items with ship within with timeframe indicated in the product listing.

All shipping is done by USPS. Shipping cost is calculated at check out based on weight and shipping speed. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer.

Modus Operandi Fibers is not responsible for lost or stolen items once shipped. After an order is shipped, it becomes the responsibility of the buyer. Priority Mail includes $100 insurance. Please contact USPS claims regarding lost or damaged packages or other issues with your shipment. Email contact@mofibers.com if you'd like to re-order items after a claim has been filed with USPS.

Average shipping times within the U.S. is 3-5 days for Standard Shipping and 1-3 days for Priority Shipping, and international shipping is 6-10 days for Priority Mail and 3-5 days for Priority Express.

For international orders, the customer is responsible for customs fees or any additional costs. Packages may be held at customs for longer than the expected delivery time.

Returns are accepted if you were sent the wrong item or there is a quality issue with your purchase. MO Fibers is unable to accommodate other returns at this time.

If you would like help donating unused MO Fibers yarn, please check out the Commitment to Community page for more information.