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The Indigo Herbal

~ Where Indigo Comes From

Regardless of its origin, all indigo has the same chemical structure. Nowadays, most indigo dye is produced synthetically despite its natural presence in many plant species. The majority of natural indigo is obtained from plants in the genus Indigofera. These plants, native to the tropics, yield more dye than other indigo bearing species. Indigofera is a large genus including over 350 species mostly found in tropical and subtropical countries, not all of which bear indogo. The primary commercial indigo species is Indigofera tinctoria, native to India and Asia. In Central and South America the two species Indigofera suffructicosa and Indigofera arrecta are the most important native dye bearing plants of the genus.

In temperate climates indigo can be obtained from woad (Isatis tinctoria), indigenous to Europe, and dyer's knotweed (Polygonum tinctorum) from China, Japan and Korea. These plants have been considered inferior sources of indigo dye because they contain less indigo than the tropical indigofera. Modern analysis shows that this assumption may be incorrect and a result of inefficient processing and poor understanding of the dye. Farming dye-bearing crops is enjoying a renaissance as people in western countries look further and further into a more organic and sustainable lifestyle. While at present natural indigo accounts for less than 1% of the total indigo market, a European Union survey suggests that by 2005 15% of textile sales will have been dyed using natural products (Burns 1995). Here in the Indigo Herbal you can find information on each important indigo bearing plant by following the links below.

Indigofera tinctoria

Sometimes called true indigo this plant is the primary commercial indigo species, now found throughout the tropics and well beyond it's native homelands.

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Indigofera suffructicosa & Indigofera arrecta

Indigo in the Americas.

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Isatis tinctoria and Isatis indigotica

Woad is a historically important dye plant for Europe, possibly used as a body paint by the ancient Britons. Blue dye is obtained from the leaves by a very smelly process of fermentation. The tropical Indigofera tinctoria and more recently by synthetic substitutes have largely replaced use of this dye.

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Polygonum tinctorum

Tade ai or Dyers Knotweed formed the basis for Indigo textile industry in Japan. The plant imported from China was used in the same way as the sacred 'yama ai' until vat dying techniques were discovered that were more effective.

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Related Plants

Mercurialis leiocarpa

Yama ai or Mountain Indigo grows in the woodlands of Japan, an early sacred dye plant producing a pale blue colour that was used for Imperial robes.

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References:

Country Textiles of Japan, Reiko Mochinaga Brandon, Honolulu Academy of Arts 1986

Crops for industry and energy in Europe, Smith Maclean Miller Carruthers, European Commission 1997

Culpepper's Herbal, Nicholas Culpepper, Foulsham 2002

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening, A. Huxley, MacMillan Press 1992

Dyes From Plants, K. G. Gilbert D. T. Cooke, Kulwer Academic Publishers 2001

A Weavers Garden, R. Buchanan, Interweave Press inc. 1995

Online Resources:

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