Natural Dye Glossary
A technical dictionary of frequently encountered terms across the worlds of sustainable textiles, natural colorants, and botanical fibers.
A luxury textile fiber harvested from the coat of the Angora rabbit, recognized as the highest quality source of rabbit wool.
Substances or agents that actively suppress, inhibit, or destroy the growth and reproduction of bacteria.
Substances or active agents that prevent, inhibit, or eliminate fungal growth and infections.
Compounds that prevent oxidation and arrest the formation of unstable free radicals within substrates.
A class of natural water-soluble pigments responsible for red, blue, and purple shades in plants, delivering an exceptionally potent antioxidant effect.
A core chemical structural foundation for numerous dyestuffs and pigments. The vast majority of red natural dyes belong to this chemical class.
The chemical or physical methodology of separating pure dyestuffs or active organic essences from plant biomass utilizing water or organic solvents.
The overarching term for raw structural matter consisting of hair-like strands or filaments suitable for spinning into textile threads.
A diverse group of plant metabolites offering rich antioxidant values while generating vivid yellow, orange, and red shades. Most yellow natural dyes belong to this family.
A class of hydrolyzable tannins featuring complex molecular structures, frequently isolated from botanical galls.
The inherent resistance of a dyed material or fabric to shifting or fading when exposed to aggressive environmental or mechanical treatments.
The specific measure of a dyed textile's stability and resistance against discoloration or fading under prolonged exposure to light or UV radiation.
The principal chemical group behind the iconic deep blue color spectrum. It constitutes the essential natural or synthetic indigo dye used to color denim fabrics.
A continuous protein filament harvested directly from the silkworm cocoon, forming a highly prized natural fiber of animal origin.
A natural, bast fiber of plant origin processed from the inner structural stalk of the flax plant (*Linum usitatissimum*).
The single fundamental, microscopic cell and minimal building block that constitutes structural textile components.
A staple seed-hair fiber harvested directly from the seed capsule of the botanical cotton plant genus.
Finely ground particulate color matter—natural or synthetic—that remains chemically insoluble when suspended in water or solvent vehicles.
Semi-synthetic fibers derived from raw natural polymers (such as cellulose) that are chemically dissolved and reconstituted through specialized extrusion spinners into continuous filaments.
The capacity of a dyed structural textile matrix to resist color transfer or fading when subjected to mechanical friction or abrasion.
A diverse class of high-molecular-weight polyphenolic compounds found abundantly across numerous plant species, acting as exceptional natural mordants and color targets.
A long, lustrous, and remarkably soft protein fiber of animal origin harvested from the fleece of the Angora goat.
The durability and steadfastness of an engineered dye treatment against loss of shade during regular laundry or aqueous extraction cycles.
A naturally crimped, protein-based staple fiber harvested from the protective coats of sheep or other ovine livestock.
