Knowra Natural dye Natural dye A colorant obtained from biological or mineral sources and used to color fibers or textiles. Its color comes from compounds or particles extracted from nature rather than synthesized as dyes.
Mordant : A substance that helps a dye bond to a material, often by forming a coordination complex with the colorant and fiber. Mordants let many natural dyes attach more durably to textile fibers.
Anthocyanin : A class of water-soluble plant pigments responsible for red, purple, and blue colors in many flowers and fruits. Anthocyanins provide color in some plant-derived dyes but can be sensitive to pH and light.
Indus Valley Civilization : A Bronze Age civilization centered in the Indus River basin, known for its planned cities and long-distance trade. Archaeological evidence from the region includes early use of dyed cotton textiles.
Traditional textile arts : Textile-making practices transmitted through communities, including weaving, embroidery, and patterned dyeing. Natural dyes are embedded in regional textile techniques and inherited color traditions.
Synthetic dye : A colorant manufactured through chemical synthesis rather than extracted from natural sources. Synthetic dyes displaced many natural colorants through lower cost, stronger performance, and reliable supply.
Dyeing : The process of imparting color to a material by applying a dye or pigment. Natural dyes are one class of colorants used in dyeing.
Alizarin : A red anthraquinone pigment found in madder roots and historically used as a textile dye. Alizarin is the principal historic red colorant associated with madder.
Silk Road : A network of trade routes connecting East Asia with Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Trade routes carried dyestuffs, textiles, and dyeing knowledge across regions.
Batik : A resist-dyeing technique in which wax protects selected areas of cloth from dye. Batik can use natural dyes to create patterned textiles through repeated dyeing.
Fast fashion : A clothing business model built around rapidly producing and selling inexpensive, trend-driven garments. Fast fashion’s production scale and short cycles complicate claims that natural dyes alone make textiles sustainable.
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