How is the wool dyed?
The process of changing the natural color of materials such as wool, silk, and cotton is called dyeing. There are two types of colors: natural colors and synthetic colors. Natural Colors Until the late nineteenth century only natural dyes were used for coloring weaving yarns. Natural dyes include plant dyes, animal dyes, and mineral dyes. Plant dyes come from roots, flowers, leaves, fruit, and bark of plants. Below are some examples of plants used as dyes: • Woad: mustard family • Indigo: blue family • Saffron safflower, sumac, turmeric, onionskin, rhubarb, weld, and fustic: yellow family • Madder, Redwood and Brazilwood: Red Family • Catechu dye, oak bark, oak galls, acorn husks, tea, and walnut husks: Brown and Black family Please note that all the primary natural colors could be mixed to produce a wide variety of secondary hues. Today, natural dyes are still used in some traditional dye-houses and villages where natural sources are readily accessible. Synthetic Colors In the mid-nin
