Madder

Rubia Cordifolia

Madder contains one of the most complex groups of substances of any dye plant–more than twenty compounds are contained in the plant. Alizarin, the organic dye found in the madder plant, creates the crimson red we associate with madder. However, there are yellow and purple colorants in the chemical mix, which is why madder produces such a wide variety of naturally-dyed colors.”

Madder is one of our most ancient dyes–the universal red. Cotton textiles from the Indus civilization date to around 3000 B.C. The Andean cultures of Paracas and Nasca used the domestic madder plant Relbunium long before cochineal. Throughout history, madder has most often been used on wool and cotton.

Artwork by Bianca Kann