naturaldye

Naturaldye, often written as natural dye, refers to colorants derived from natural sources such as plants, animals, and minerals used to color textiles, fibers, leather, and art materials. Plant sources include madder root for reds, weld for yellows, indigo leaves for blues, and henna, turmeric, and annatto for oranges and browns. Insects like cochineal provide crimson hues, while lichens and certain woods or barks yield a range of tones. Dyes are typically extracted by simmering the material in water, sometimes with additives to improve color uptake.

Mordants are chemicals that fix dye to fibers and can influence shade and fastness. Common mordants include alum, iron, and tannins; some historical mordants, such as chromium, are toxic. Indigo dyeing often uses a vat process that produces blue through reduction and oxidation. Cellulose fibers (cotton, linen) often require mordants or pretreatments to achieve good wash and lightfastness, whereas protein fibers (wool, silk) generally accept dyes more readily.

Applications and limitations: natural dyes offer lower toxicity and can be derived from renewable sources, but they commonly exhibit variable color ranges, lower colorfastness, and sensitivity to light and washing. Sustainable practice emphasizes responsible sourcing, standardized mordant use, and proper wastewater management to minimize environmental impact.