Madder is a plant used for animal fodder and as a source of red dye. It has been used for centuries in Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Madder can be used on cotton, leather, wool, and silk but requires a mordant to fix the dye. It was also used in traditional herbal medicines. Natural madder dye […]
Madder roots, from the Rubia tinctorum plant, produce a bright red dye that was once used for British soldiers’ uniforms. Madder lake, a pigment made from the roots, is more permanent and can be used to tint paints. The chemical compound responsible for the pigment, alizarin, was discovered in 1868 and replaced the need for […]
