The document discusses natural dyes, which are extracted from various plant, animal, and mineral sources. Natural dyes are obtained from different parts of plants, including flowers, leaves, barks, seeds, and roots. Over 500 plant species have been identified as potential sources of natural dyes. While natural dyes were traditionally used, synthetic dyes are now more common because they are usually cheaper, more reliable, and readily available. Natural dyes have advantages such as being non-toxic, biodegradable, and producing soft shades, but they also have disadvantages like being time-consuming to extract and having limited availability.