Due to consumer demand and desire for clean label products, many manufacturers are moving away from synthetic colors toward natural ones. Unfortunately, natural colors present their own set of challenges: they tend to be more sensitive to pH levels, heat and light exposure; formulation and application expertise will likely be needed when working with natural hues.
Natural dyes derived from plants and minerals have long been utilized by mankind, providing additional revenue streams from agricultural crops while enriching soil quality.
Green
Green conjures images of grass, trees, and forests; it can also symbolize wealth and health; in fact, one dollar bills in the US feature green backsides!
Early people were fascinated with imitating the colors found in nature. Roots, flowers, seeds, bark and insects were used as dyestuffs for experiments in coloring their clothing or bodies.
Chlorophyll is an easily accessible natural color with excellent heat, light, and pH stability, making it perfect for food and beverage applications. Coppering further intensifies this vibrant hue to produce copper chlorophyllin.
Blue
Blue, the color of both skies and seas, symbolizes freedom, intuition, imagination, sensitivity, understanding and trustworthiness. It has long been considered an emblem for trustworthiness and confidence.
Black is an evocative color and represents depth, expertise, and stability – perfect for businesses that wish to project an air of security and reliability.
Blue is an uncommon hue found in nature, yet humans have managed to craft it since ancient times. The first blue pigment was created using lapis lazuli as the base material; this hue later inspired works such as Tutankhamun’s burial mask, Delft pottery, Renaissance paintings and many other artistic creations.
Yellow
Yellow is one of the most vivid, eye-catching colors found in nature and one of the most abundant naturally occurring pigments on Earth. Ancient cave paintings used ochre to produce their first yellow paint for cave paintings some 17,000 years ago while Renaissance and Medieval artists often employed yellow to represent skin tone.
Natural yellow dyes derived from fruits, vegetables and minerals provide brands with an opportunity to meet consumer expectations for cleaner ingredient labels.
Red
Red is an iconic hue found naturally in many precious and semiprecious gemstones. Furthermore, its hue has long been associated with political parties advocating leftist or communist ideology – such as the Communist Party USA or Social Democrats of Europe.
Red is often associated with passion and intensity in art. It attracts our eyes and serves as a visual indicator, such as warning of danger. Red has long been associated with heroes and leaders – such as royalty who wear it to represent their God-given right to rule – as well as Pentecost in Christianity.
Orange
Orange, the color associated with citrus fruits and sunsets, inspires enthusiasm, optimism and cheerfulness. Artworks created with orange hues can stir passion and adventure within us all.
Medieval art featured orange pigments to enliven illuminated manuscripts; during the Renaissance they appeared as richly hued drapery. Elizabeth Siddal became an icon for Pre-Raphaelites with her flowing red-orange locks; this hue was also popular with Impressionists including Claude Monet’s Impression Sunrise and Auguste Renoir’s Oarsmen at Chatou.
Orange (or safety orange) is often utilized in marine safety equipment like life rafts and buoys as it enhances visibility for users.
Brown
Brown can be found everywhere we look – it is the most frequent color found in human and animal eyes, skin and hair pigment; we use furniture, wood and soil containing brown hues; we drink dark chocolate and espresso from brown cups – and more.
Rembrandt Van Rijn and Caravaggio both utilized browns in their paintings for chiaroscuro effects, providing depth and authenticity in each shade they utilized.
Brown pigments – raw umber, made from umbrian clay; burnt sienna, produced by heating umbrian earth until it darkens; and Cassel earth, made of peaty soil – have long been in use to produce shades of browns.
Purple
Purple is an organic hue situated between red and blue on the color wheel, often associated with royalty, majesty, wisdom and spirituality. Furthermore, this hue serves as the basis of LGBTQ+ pride flags recognizing non-binary gender identities.
Grapes, eggplants and pansies derive their colors from natural pigments known as anthocyanins that help plants protect themselves by blocking harmful wavelengths of light. Early purple dyes lacked vibrancy and durability necessary for lasting artwork until 1856 when mauveine was discovered; this eventually lead to modern synthetic organic pigments like manganese violet and quinacridone violet being sold under various names.
White
Physics defines white as the color created when all wavelengths of light combine, without creating any discernable hue, as opposed to black which contains different hues. Therefore it can be considered an achromatic color.
Natural dyes produce warm, earthy hues that cannot be achieved through artificial chemicals, giving fabrics an authentic look and feel. Examples include turmeric, annatto, beetroot and spirulina dyes.
White symbolizes purity and innocence in many cultures, which explains why brides wear white and hospitals provide white towels to patients. But for other cultures, it can symbolize death or mourning.
