This document discusses natural colorings that have been used for dyeing tissues and textiles in the past and present. It describes plant, insect, and mineral-based colorings including indigo, juglon, lawsone-henna, and alizarin. Indigo produces a strong blue color from tree species and molluscs, though it is now mostly synthesized. Juglon from walnut peels was used to dye wool orange, red, or brown. Lawsone from henna dye silk, leather, wool and hair without environmental issues. Alizarin from madder roots was used in ancient civilizations to dye cotton, silk and wool.

1. SUBSTANCES FOR NATURAL
COLORINGS OF TISSUES AND TEXTILES
IN THE PAST AND TODAY
Matteo Komadina,
Martin Makovec,
Adel Huskić

2. Natural colours based on sources of
production
1. Vegetable/Plant Origin
2. Insect/Animal Origin
3. Mineral Origin

3. INDIGO
• Strong blue color
• It is obtained in two ways
• World production: 13.000 tonnes/year
• Natural sources: several Asian tree species
and in molluscs
• Today mostly synthetic origin (first synthesis –
end of 19thcentury)
obtained in through the oxidation and
dimerization of the glycoside indikan (natural
sources)
by synthesis

4. JUGLON
Wood dyes of orange, red and brown
1. Juglon (C10H6O3)
– green peal walnuts
- used as a natural dye for clothing and fabrics,
- particularly wool
- hair dyeing

5. LAWSON - HENNA
- Lawsone is an active compound in henna
- it doesn‘t pose any environmental problems
- used in the dyeing of cellulosic, protein and
synthetic textile fibers
- the henna tree can be found in North Africa,
in the Middle East and South Asia
- silk, leather and wool dyeing (hair, skin)

6. ALIZARIN
• Roots of coloring brooch
• Ancient Egypt, Arabia, India, Persia, Greece and Rome
• Coloring cotton, silk and wool
• Also paints and cosmetics