Natural dyeing
Also known as: Natural dyeing, Botanical dyeing
Dyeing process with dyes from plants, animals or minerals — historically dominant, today a niche for eco-fashion and traditional craft.
Description
Natural dyeing uses dyes of biological or mineral origin and was the only dyeing method until the invention of synthetic aniline dyes (mauveine, 1856). In China it has been practised for over 5000 years. The main colour sources are: madder (alizarin, red) from madder root, cochineal (carmine red) from scale insects, indigo from Indigofera and Isatis (woad), turmeric (curcumin, yellow), weld (yellow) and Tyrian purple from murex snails — historically so expensive that one snail yielded a single drop.
Most natural dyes do not bind directly to the fibre and require a mordant, often a metal salt (alum, iron sulfate, copper sulfate) — mordanting forms a metal complex between fibre and dye. Alum gives cleaner, brighter shades; iron dulls colours and makes them greyish ("saddening").
Natural dyeing has been experiencing a renaissance since about 2010 in the slow-fashion movement. Brands like Botanical Colors, Lanaria or Zurgena Natural Dyes offer regionally dyed goods. Characteristic: soft, muted shades with high depth, slight batch variation (not seen as a defect), usually somewhat lower wash and light fastness than synthetic dyes.
Properties
| Origin | Madder, cochineal, indigo, turmeric, weld |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | Usually with metal mordant (alum, iron) |
| Appearance | Soft, muted, deep shades |
| Fastness | Wash and light fastness usually lower |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Naturfarbstoffe Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pflanzenfarbstoff
- Wikipedia: Natural dye Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_dye
