Natural dyes (textile dyeing)
Also known as: Plant dyes, Natural dyeing, Madder, Weld, Cochineal, Woad
Dyes from plants and insects — indigo, madder, cochineal, weld, woad — dominated textile dyeing until synthetic dyes were invented in the 19th century.
Description
Before the industrial synthesis of aniline dyes (starting with W. H. Perkin's mauveine in 1856), textiles were dyed almost exclusively with natural dyes from plants, insects and a few minerals. Key classics include indigo (from Indigofera tinctoria, deep blue; in Europe also from woad, Isatis tinctoria), madder (Rubia tinctorum, Turkey red; the most important red for uniforms until 1869), cochineal (scale insect Dactylopius coccus, brilliant carmine), weld (Reseda luteola, yellow) and woad.
Natural dyes almost always require a mordant (alum, iron, copper, tin) to anchor the dye in the textile and shift the shade. Hue reproducibility and wash fastness are weaker than modern reactive dyes, so industrial use is limited to niches (organic brands, craft, cultural-historical restoration). Since the 2010s a clear revival has emerged in slow fashion and artisan segments.
- Indigo/woad: blue, vat dyeing with reduction
- Madder: Turkey red, alizarin-based, alum mordant
- Cochineal: carmine/crimson, alum or tin mordant
- Weld: yellow, combines with madder to orange, with indigo to green
Properties
| Dye source | Plants, insects, rare minerals |
|---|---|
| Mordant | Alum, iron, copper, tin |
| Wash fastness | Usually lower than reactive dyes |
| Current use | Eco fashion, craft, restoration |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Natural dye Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_dye
- Wikipedia: Mordant Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordant
