In natural dyeing, it is fundamental that the used plant should be of a dye plant species. This means that these plants must have some substances that reacts with the mordant to fix the colours in the fabric fibres. Distinct parts of the plant can be used such as: leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, barks, roots, branches, and sawdust.

 

In my work with natural dyeing, I used, mostly, the plants that I found on São Paulo streets, such as avocado and guava tree leaves. There is a great plant to use to dye, which is called black-jack (Bidens pilosa), that I picked from within the cracks in the curb. It is considered an invasive species, but it also has medicinal qualities. Many times, I have joined leaves and flowers left on the ground such as hibiscus flowers, eucalyptus leaves, and tropical almond leaves (Terminalia catappa). I usually use the kitchen waste like onion skin, carrot top, avocado peel and seed, and Brazilian-pine nut shell. Last but not least, I like using traditional Brazilian dye plants such as urucum (Bixa orellana), which is used by indigenous people to paint their bodies; macela (Achyrocline satureioides ), a specie of daisy with tiny yellow flowers; erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis), which is a typical tea from south of Brazil; and anileira (Indigofera suffruticosa), Brazilian indigo blue.

 

The list is quite long because there are many species that dye, and many of these species are also medicinal plants used frequently in herbal medicine. But I always prefer those plants that somehow surround me.