Natural dyes are dyes or colorants derived from plants, invertebrates, or minerals.

The majority of natural dyes arevegetable dyes from plant sources roots, berries, bark, leaves, and wood and other organic sources such asfungi and lichens. Archaeologists have found evidence of textile dyeing dating back to the Neolithic period. In China, dyeing with plants, barks and insects has been traced back more than 5,000 years.[1] The essential process of dyeing changed little over time. Typically, the dye material is put in a pot of water and then the textiles to be dyed are added to the pot, which is heated and stirred until the color is transferred. Textile fiber may be dyed before spinning (dyed in the wool), but most textiles are yarndyed or piece-dyed after weaving. Many natural dyes require the use of chemicals called mordants to bind the dye to the textile fibers; tannin from oak galls, salt, natural alum, vinegar, and ammoniafrom stale urine were used by early dyers. Many mordants, and some dyes themselves, produce strong odors, and large-scale dyeworks were often isolated in their own districts. Throughout history, people have dyed their textiles using common, locally available materials, but scarce dyestuffs that produced brilliant and permanent colors such as the natural invertebrate dyes Tyrian purple and crimson kermesbecame highly prized luxury items in the ancient and medieval world. Plant-based dyes such as woad, indigo,saffron, and madder were raised commercially and were important trade goods in the economies of Asia and Europe. Across Asia and Africa, patterned fabrics were produced using resist dyeing techniques to control the absorption of color in piece-dyed cloth. such as cochineal and logwood were brought to Europe by the Spanishtreasure fleets, and the dyestuffs of Europe were carried by colonists to America. The discovery of man-made synthetic dyes in the mid-19th century triggered a long decline in the large-scale market for natural dyes. Synthetic dyes, which could be produced in large quantities, quickly superseded natural dyes for the commercial textile production enabled by the industrial revolution, and unlike natural dyes, were suitable for the synthetic fibers that followed. Artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement preferred the pure shades and subtle variability of natural dyes, which mellow with age but preserve their true colors, unlike early synthetic dyes,[1] and helped ensure that the old European techniques for dyeing and printing with natural dyestuffs were preserved for use by home and craft dyers. Natural dyeing techniques are also preserved by artisans in traditional cultures around the world. In the early 21st century, the market for natural dyes in the fashion industry is experiencing a resurgence.[2] Western consumers have become more concerned about the health and environmental impact of synthetic dyes in manufacturing and there is a growing demand for products that use natural dyes. The European Union, for example, has encouraged Indonesian batik cloth producers to switch to natural dyes to improve their export market in Europe.[3]

WHAT ARE DYES? Dye is a soluble ,coloured compound . It is one of the most widely used material m almost all industry. Professional and home dyeing of apparel and household decorations are practiced w1dely . Unlike paints colours that only covers the surface, dyes penetrate all the materials being coloured. There are different types of dyes and each type vary in their ability to resist fading due to factors like washing Types of dyes : Natural dyes Synthetic dye

WHAT IS DYEING? Dyeing is an ancient an which was practiced during the Bronze age in Europe. Primitive dyeing techniques included sticking plants to fabric or rubbing crushed pigments into cloth. the methods became more sophisticated with time and techniques using natural dyes from crushed fruits, berries and other plants, which were boiled into the fabric and gave light and water fastness (resistance), were developed.

SOURCES There are various sources for obtaining the dyes which can be listed as: Leaves and stems Flower heads Barks Roots Outer skins, hulls and husks Heartwoods and wood shavings Berries and seeds Lichens Insect dyes Mineral dyes

TYPES OF NATURALDYES There are two different types of natural dyes: Substantive dye :A dye that will colour the fibre without the use of a mordant e.g. indigo. The use of a mordant with a substantive dye extends their colour potential and increases their fastness. Adjective :A dye that require the use of mordant to intensify colour and to make them permanent.

The majority of natural dyes are adjective.

FURTHER CLASSIFICATION Dyes can be further classified on the basis of their origin, which can be listed as : Plant Origin Animal Origin Mineral Origin

WHAT ARE MORDANTS?

*Mordants are substances which are used to fox a dye to the fibres. *Mordants are metallic or mineral salts which, when added to the natural dye bath either enhance. intensify, or change the colour. *They also play a large role in making the resulting shade faster to light and washing.

They also improve the take-up quality of the fabric and help improve colour and light-fastness. Some natural dyes, indigo for example, will fox without the aid of a mordant; these dyes are known as 'substantive dyes'. Others d)es, such as madder and weld, have a limited fastness w1d the colour will fade with washing and exposure to light.

Traditionally, mordants were found in nature. Wood ash may have been used as an alkali mordant, and acids could be found in acidic fruits or rhubarb leaves (which contain oxalic acid). For example: Now a days most natural dyers use

chemical mordants such as alum, copper sulphate, iron or chrome . Mordants are prepared in solution, often with the addition of an assistant which improves the fixing of , the mordant to the yarn or fibre.

Our range of Natural Dyes of plant origin for Textile incluck. 'S: Natural [ndigo Pomegranate Madder Kamala Mayrabolan -catechu Himalayan Rubrub

Natural Indigo Common Name: Natural Indigo, Indian Indigo Botanical Name :- lndigofera tinctoria Natural Dve Blue Dyestuff for Textile Indigo is about 2-3 feet long plant,

cultivated on thousands acres of land in India. The whole plant is used for extraction of dye and the extract form of dye is supplied in powder form. Pomegranate

Common Name Pomegranate, Anaar Botanical Name: Punica granatum Natural Dye Yellow dyestuff for Textiles The dye is extracted from its fruit rind. At t1mes this dye is also used as mordant and is over dyed with other Natural Dye to improve fastness later.