Most rugs that we purchase for our homes consist of colors made by chemical dyes however, with a handcrafted oriental rug the colors are made from natural dyes extracted from vegetables and plants found in the area where the weaver lives. Natural rug dyes are not mixed with any chemicals in order to get the color that is needed.
Colors are selected to echo the colors of the world around us. Weavers using natural dyes go to great lengths to produce vibrant colors. Some colors are difficult to create. Natural dyes give a carpet rich coloring and an elegant appearance.
The art of coloring is an extremely ancient technique. Listed below you will find different types of plants or vegetables that are used for specific colors. While this is in no way a complete list, it is a start to get an idea of where some of the most common natural dye colors come from.
Red is created by using the root of wild madder. Wild madder is a perennial herb that is native to Mediterranean and Near East.
Blue is created with the indigo plant. While the indigo plant itself is not blue, the blue color occurs by an oxidization of yellow juice from these plants.
Green is created from tropical plant found in India called the Turmeric. The plant is a yellow flower with an aromatic root used for spices and yellow dye.
Black is created by a thorny plant called logwood. This plant is native to Central America and West Indies. However, it was introduced into other tropical regions of the world. This plant creates the black color which is used more than any other natural dye.
All of these plants are hand picked by the weavers themselves, not by machines. It is difficult and sometimes painful work, depending on the plants needed. Extracting the dyes is also hot and uncomfortable work. Mixing and matching color shades is extremely exacting work, and coordinating shades between dye lots requires years of skill to master.
Carpets containing natural dyes require special care to preserve their beauty and vibrance. They do not respond well to harsh chemical cleaners.
The richness of an oriental rug goes far beyond the skill of weaving it. It is created bit by bit, and tremendous work and skill goes into every facet of its creation. The colors and the dyes that produce the colors are only a single layer of a complex and time consuming process that takes a carpet from idea, to reality.
Tracy Collins, marketing assistant for Image Carpets, Inc., http://www.imagecarpetsinc.com. Image Carpets, located in New York City, offers the trade, designers and retail clients a discerning choice of hand-made antique Persian, Indian hand made oriental rugs , Turkish hand made rugs and European rugs and other oriental hand made rugs and carpets.
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