Natural dye

Natural dyes are mineral or extracted from plants and animals dyes. Naturally occurring dyes include indigo, Lawson, purple, carmine, Kermes, alizarin, Waid, crocetin and brazilin. They are still used occasionally in the field of Oriental rug making.

Plant dyestuffs can be divided into

• Plasmochrome plant dyes ( localization in chromo-or chloroplasts and therefore hydrophobic),
• Chymochrome plant dyes ( localization in the aqueous cell sap of the vacuole and therefore hydrophilic) and
• Membranochrome plant dyes ( localization in the cell wall ).