My Natural

Rug Colors and Dyes

natural April 28, 2008

The variations found in rugs and kilims around the world are amazing and beautiful.
The color combinations present in a kilim or persian rug make it appealing to the eye and a
wonderfully decorative work of art. Each color hides a meaning which contributes
to it’s fascination. Early rugs and kilims of course used dyes obtained from vegetable

and animal sources. In modern times synthetic dyes (aniline or chrome) are also used

and make rugs more affordable to the average person. The following is a list of some of
the most common uses of color in rugs today and from times past.

Red is the color of fire, enthusiasm, courage, virility, faith, luck and joy. However,

it also carries the idea of sorrow and calamity.

Orange stands for humility and piety.

Blue symbolizes a sense of strength and power or force

Green is used sparingly and only in place which are unlikely to be trodden on.It also means

hope, life, renewal and spring.

Natural dyes: Vegetable and Animal

Time-consuming, pricey and tiresome are adjectives generally connected to the description
of the making and using of natural dyes, both vegetable and animal. Whenever vegetable and
animal sources are abundant in the area where kilims or rugs are manufactured the situation

changes and it becomes financially feasible to use vegetable or animal dyes. The sources

of these dyes may vary from country to country but the most common are the following:

.Indigo:(originally obtained by extracting and fermenting indican from the leaves of the
indigo plant) Produces Dark navy blue

Madder: redroot of the madder plant;(produced by boiling the dried, chunked root of the

madder plant in the dye pot) Produces dark, rusty red.

Red: cochineal insect

Yellow: weld, vine leaves or pomegranate peel. produces muted gold

Brown : walnut shells or oak bark

Green: combination of weld and indigo

Purple: hollyhocks

Black: walnuts

Larkspur: plant

Henna: leaves and flowers

An observation should be made regarding slight changes in color usually seen in older rugs
for this happens when the weaver starts weaving with a yarn from a different dye lot than the
one previously used .This peculiarity is common when working with natural dyes since it is
quite difficult to get an exact color match. Fortunately, this condition does not affect
the value of the rug. It may in fact increase it’s value.

It is very common on tribal rugs to see this variation in color and is a unique characteristic
of hand made rugs. The exact “recipe” used by a particular rug maker was a closely guarded
secret which passed from generation to generation, or sometimes died with the passage of time
and the rug maker. The nomads who made kilims could not produce a large batch of dye,
therefore sometimes the color would vary from lot to lot in that way as well.Also the type
and quality of wool was a factor in the final color result.

Long ago dyers realized that as more wool was dyed in a single dyepot, colors became weaker
and weaker. Dyers use this notion of depleted dyes to their advantage. The first dyeing
produces a deep, strong color. Subsequent dyeings in the same dyepot produce lighter,

softer colors

Synthetic Dyes: Aniline Dyes

Aniline dyes were speedily adopted in the carpet industry due to their low cost and easy-to-use
characteristic. The use of them was not limited to a specific area but spread throughout the
world. In the last years of the nineteenth century aniline dyes were strongly acidic
which damaged the quality of the rug by destroying the natural oil in the wool causing
the rug to wear off in no time. In addition, the colors ran when the kilim was washed or
faded if the rug was exposed to sunlight.

Because of these problems, aniline dyes are not used as much as they used to be. Nowadays
they are used in the dyeing of inferior-quality rugs. If you do not know whether your
precious kilim or persian style rug was aniline dyed. You should rub a damp cloth over
the pile. If the rug was dyed with a good-quality vegetable or chemical dye it will not
rub off onto the cloth, but if it does then your rug has been dyed with aniline.

Synthetic Dyes: Chrome Dyes

At present, oriental rugs are dyed with Chrome dyes. In contrast to natural dyes, these
are simpler to use, quite cheaper and their dye is much easier to match. Chrome dyes offer
a greater range of shades and colors which are colorfast. The natural oils of the wool are
not removed so the kilim will not be worn off as fast as an aniline dyed one. Although chrome
dyes are widely used, in the past there were also complaints with them because their colors
were harsher than the hues of natural dyes. This was corrected by the implementation of a
light chemical wash which is done to most rugs before being exported to ensure the richness
of the rug.

Rugs which are dyed in this way can never achieve the soft hue of a rug which is dyed with
a natural dye. The rug fades a bit over time, depending on it’s exposure to the sun and general
use, but the color which it achieves as a result is warm and unobtainable in any other way.
The next time you look at your treasured rug or kilim, think of how it was dyed and appreciate
it’s beauty all the more. Kilims and rugs are wonderful to behold!

c 2206 Bill Kernodle

Bill Kernodle is a rug enthusiast,art lover,world traveller and owner- operator of Revelation Imports.com.You may see what he has to offer on rugs,antiques,gifts,collectibles and hand made items from around the world.

The study and appreciation of all things hand made is a life long pursuit and one in which he delights in sharing with you!

http://www.revelationimports.com