Posted by Miriam Splett
on October 23, 2025
Looking for a creative way to refresh your old tote bags without adding to landfill waste?
This eco-friendly DIY home idea is the perfect solution. With botanical powder dyes from Wild Hue™, you can give your tired, faded bags a vibrant new life - all while embracing sustainable craft supplies and non-toxic, plant-based colour.
No need for synthetic paints or harsh chemicals. Just warm water, natural fibres, and pure organic fabric dyes made from earth’s own pigments.
This simple DIY fabric dyeing project is perfect for beginners, slow-makers, and anyone passionate about circular economy design and eco-conscious crafts.
Instead of tossing your old tote, you’ll transform it into a statement of creativity, sustainability, and self-expression - a piece of ethical textile art you can carry with pride.
Why Choose Botanical Powder Dyes?
Wild Hue™ dyes are more than pigments - they’re stories of nature, ground and gathered with care.
Each powder is a natural textile dye created for eco-conscious crafts and ethical textile art.
Every pouch contains:
- Single-ingredient, plant-based colour
- Chemical-free and non-toxic formulation
- Sustainably sourced, circular economy fabric dye
- Ideal for DIY fabric dyeing and home projects
With botanical dyeing, you create more than colour - you create connection.
What You’ll Need
For this eco-friendly DIY project, you don’t need fancy tools - just a mindful setup and your imagination.
Materials:
- 1 plain cotton or linen tote bag (unbleached preferred)
- 100g Wild Hue™ botanical dye powder (choose your favourite shade)
- 10–15 litres of warm water
- 1 large bucket or stainless steel pot
- Wooden spoon or stirring stick
- Gloves (optional - Wild Hue dyes are non-toxic!)
How to Dye Your Tote Bag Naturally
Step 1: Prepare the Fabric
Wash your tote bag before dyeing - this removes any oils or coatings and helps the fibre absorb pigment evenly.
Natural fibres like cotton and linen are ideal for plant-based dye powder, soaking up colour beautifully.
Step 2: Mix Your Botanical Dye
In your bucket, mix 100g of Wild Hue™ dye powder with 10–15 litres of warm water.
Stir gently until the powder fully dissolves. You’ll notice the pure plant pigment bloom in the water - that’s your natural colour bath.
Step 3: Soak the Tote Bag
Submerge your clean tote into the dye bath.
Let it soak for 30–60 minutes, stirring occasionally for even coverage.
For a richer, deeper tone, leave it longer or increase the dye concentration.
Step 4: Rinse and Dry
Once you’ve found your shade, gently wring out the fabric and rinse it under cool water until it runs clear.
Hang it in a shaded area to dry. As it sets, your tote will develop its final, slow-made dye tone - unique, organic, and utterly yours.
Styling Ideas
Your naturally dyed tote is more than a bag - it’s a reflection of your values and creativity.
Try pairing it with neutral outfits or display it as part of your eco-friendly textile design corner at home.
You can even add botanical prints with leaves, herbs, or flowers for an extra touch of handmade magic.
This is sustainable craft - functional, artistic, and rooted in intention.
How Much Dye to Use
As a guide, one 100g pouch of Wild Hue™ dye colours about 2kg of fabric.
That’s enough for two tote bags, or one tote and a few small accessories.
Want a deeper tone? Add more dye powder or let it soak longer.
Prefer a soft, pastel hue? Use less or remove it earlier.
Remember - natural dyeing for beginners is all about exploration.
There’s no wrong outcome when you’re dyeing your world naturally.
FAQs
Is Wild Hue™ safe for home and skin?
Absolutely. Our dyes are non-toxic, plant-based, and chemical-free. They’re safe for your hands, fabrics, and the environment.
Can I use this method on other fabrics?
Yes! Wild Hue™ works beautifully on all natural fibres like cotton, linen, bamboo, eucalyptus, and silk.
Will the colour fade?
Natural dyes evolve with time - just like nature itself. To preserve vibrancy, wash gently in cold water and dry out of direct sunlight.
Can I reuse leftover dye water?
Definitely. Use it for smaller projects, tinting paper, or even as a pigment wash for eco-conscious crafts.
Let Nature Lead Your Design
When you craft with handmade natural dye powder, you’re part of something bigger - a sustainable colour solutionthat honours earth and artistry.
Each Wild Hue™ tote carries a whisper of the plant it came from.
Each shade is a memory of the soil, the sun, and your hands at work.
Slow down. Stir. Soak. Create.
This is how you dye your world naturally.
Ready to Start Your Sustainable Home DIY Project?
Discover Wild Hue’s full range of eco-friendly powder dyes and sustainable craft supplies - made for creators who colour with conscience.
✨ Shop Wild Hue™ Botanical Dye Powders
Transform your next project into an act of mindful artistry.
