Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a common native plant found in hedgerows and woodland edges across Britain. Often overlooked as a weed, it’s a valuable plant for wildlife and people, known for its nutrient-rich leaves and fibrous stems.
In winter nettles tend to mostly die back but some small plants and leaves can still be found and collected for dyeing.

Fresh leaves (or gathered and dried earlier in the year) produce soft yellow-greens and pale golds. Shades tend to be subtle and gentle, especially in winter dye baths.

Nettles contain mild tannins, so they work best with a mordant (such as alum), though pre-mordanting with iron can shift colours toward olive and grey-green tones. Winter dyeing with dried and stored nettles makes them ideal for slow, reflective dye processes when fresh plants are scarce.