natural dye

Also known as: natural colorant

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Natural dyes are coloring substances derived from plants, insects, or minerals. For millennia, these were the primary source of color for textiles, with evidence dating back over 4,000 years. Notable examples include indigo for blue and alizarin from madder roots for red. Other sources include cochineal insects for red and logwood for black and gray dyes.1

The use of natural dyes declined significantly after the 1850s with the rise of synthetic dyes, driven by the textile industry's demand for more accessible and cost-effective coloring agents. While many natural dyes were unstable or difficult to extract, their study laid the groundwork for the development of synthetic alternatives. Today, logwood remains one of the few natural dyes still in use.1

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dye
Natural dyes
Until the 1850s virtually all dyes were obtained from natural sources, most commonly from vegetables, such as plants, trees, and lichens, with a few from insects. Solid evidence that dyeing methods are more than 4,000 years old has been provided by dyed fabrics…
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Until the 1850s virtually all dyes were obtained from natural sources, most commonly from vegetables, such as plants, trees, and lichens, with a few from insects. Solid evidence that dyeing methods are more than 4,000 years old has been provided by dyed fabrics…
Read More

food additive
Natural colorants
Most natural colorants are extracts derived from plant tissues. The use of these extracts in the food industry has certain problems associated with it, including the lack of consistent color intensities, instability upon exposure to light and heat, variability of supply, reactivity with…
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Most natural colorants are extracts derived from plant tissues. The use of these extracts in the food industry has certain problems associated with it, including the lack of consistent color intensities, instability upon exposure to light and heat, variability of supply, reactivity with…
Read More