How-To: Rooibos Tea Dyed Yarn

Did you know the first Numi product packaging was created using tea to stain each box? Tea, coffee, beet juice and other colorful plant-based liquids make great non-toxic, inexpensive dyes. Try this easy step-by-step tea dye tutorial at home!

Tea Dye Tutorial

STEP 1: Get some high quality, bare wool. TIP: For this tutorial we used yarn, but you can tea dye clothing, towels, even hair!

STEP 2: Soak your wool overnight in water so that the fibers of the yarn are completely saturated. This helps even out the color in the dyeing process.

STEP 3: In a separate container, steep 8 bags of Rooibos in 8 cups boiled water for at least 10 minutes. Then remove from heat, leaving the tea bags in the container, and allow to cool. TIP: If you need more liquid to fully submerse your textile, just add an additional tea bag for each cup of water.

STEP 4: After your yarn has soaked in water over night, soak it in a combination of water and vinegar for an hour. This helps the color of the tea stick to the wool. We used 3 quarts of water and 2 cups of vinegar (a 1:4 ratio). Once it’s done soaking, squeeze out all of the vinegar water.

STEP 5: Now, immerse your yarn slowly in the pot of cooled down tea. Take care to avoid agitation so the tea doesn’t felt.

STEP 6: Push down carefully to make sure the yarn is completely covered by the tea. Then, bring your tea to a gentle simmer (only slight bubbling, not boiling, or else the wool will felt).

STEP 7: Stir ever so gently to make sure all strands are covered in tea.

STEP 8: After 1.5 hours, turn off the heat and let cool. Then carefully pull out your yarn and rinse it under cool water. Rinse until the liquid coming off your yarn is clear then gently squeeze out excess water.

STEP 9: Find where your yarn is tied off (the knot that connects both ends of the yarn).

STEP 10: Hang your yarn to dry on a rack – and be sure to lay a towel underneath it to catch any drips.

Voila — the finished product!