Burda Style For people who sew

dye white fabric a light tan color using tea

Technique Materials

white cotton fabric water tea bags large pot stove or other heat source

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19 Comments

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  Sep 28, 2011, 05.23 PMby dimoni

  Tea-dyeing works wonderful with silk and wool as well. But be careful: the color did get much darker in my experiments with silk than with cotton.
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  Mar 11, 2011, 07.05 PMby Rikki Cade Battle

  iv been meaning to tea-dye some fabric for a wile now only i was put off as i didn’t know weather the colour would fade in the wash. im guessing this isn’t the case?
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  Nov 15, 2010, 09.42 PMby goldy55

  Terrific idea….it also works with coffee in case you don’t have tea.
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  Aug 19, 2010, 04.42 PMby lala86

  Well, I tryed this technique but it didn’t came up as well as yours.. Te colour came up really lighter that what I thougut I would be… I added vinegar and salt as some people recomend to allow the colour penetrate the fabic fibers.. but… I don’t know what happened.. Maybe It wasn’t as cotton as I thought… I really like the result of your dying. Did the color wash over the following laundryes?
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  Apr 18, 2010, 10.05 AMby keren

  Great how to! Thanks! I like the fact that it’s organic :-) I must try it!!
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  Aug 23, 2009, 04.29 PMby badkitty-1

  Great. I have used tea to “antique” fabric before. You can use onion skins too but it is a bit yellower depending on how much skin you use. Nettles give a nice green. x
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  Apr 28, 2009, 03.57 PMby kookiebertholda

  i like it!! thanks a lot… i was thinking if u do a clove and stick cinnamon tea… ull get a nice redish tone!!:.. so ill try that one too!!… if i get another tea colors ill tell u!!

  thanks for the idea!!!
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  Dec 10, 2008, 10.29 PMby queenmab

  I too am dryer-less but I am thinking that, as washing with hot water generally sets stains, perhaps if I “boiled” the fabric a bit after the required dying time….?!

  I’ll let you know how I go… or if I start a fire…
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  Nov 13, 2008, 04.46 AMby sugartime

  Oh, I have to try this!
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  Nov 10, 2008, 02.20 AMby lybu

  thanks a lot. what a great idea
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  Nov 4, 2008, 11.59 AMby prudencerabbit

  I’m not sure of a hair dryer would work, but it’s a good idea. Let me know how it works if you try it!
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  Nov 4, 2008, 03.36 AMby sunriseruby

  I love this how to! Il try it. But I don’t have a dryer, will it also work with hair dryer while it’s still damp?
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  Nov 1, 2008, 08.18 PMby pierrewolf

  I did this just the other day with rose-hip tea, gives a really nice pink tone.
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  Oct 31, 2008, 01.25 AMby missb-1

  A very cool how-to. I had no idea you could dye fabric with tea.
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  Oct 28, 2008, 12.37 PMby stelloun

  thank you very much for this how to, I love tea dyed stuff!! I ll try it soon
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  Oct 27, 2008, 08.41 PMby prudencerabbit

  Thanks!

  I used what I had on hand: some green tea, and some plain old Tetley tea.
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  Oct 27, 2008, 06.16 PMby hannahlee

  I love this! What “flavor” tea bags did you use??
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  Oct 26, 2008, 05.26 PMby prudencerabbit

  That’s a good question. I’m not sure if ironing would set the color, but if you try it, I’d suggest ironing the fabric while it’s still damp.
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  Oct 25, 2008, 12.32 PMby polychromatin

  Thanks for this How-To! I didn’t knew that dying with tea is possible. I don’t have a dryer, will it also work with ironing after loft drying?