7C. Dyeing We have already learnt that the history of dyeing in India is very old. Before the middle of 19th century the dyes were obtained only from natural sources. Most of the dyes used were from plants – roots, bark, leaves, flowers and seeds.
Some insects and minerals also yielded colour. The analysis of the old samples confirms that Indians had a deep knowledge of chemistry of dyes and techniques of dye application to produce fabrics, renowned for their colourfastness properties.