Indigo Introduction

Image source :Indigo

Indigo is a natural  ‘Dye’ . The word indigo is derived from the Latin Indicum and the Greek Indicon meaning ‘ Blue Dye’ from India. It is obtained from the plant “Indigofera tinctoria” , the species of plant bean family which is the original source of the indigo dye. It is found in the tropical and moderate temperature of  Asia and as well as the African continent. The indigo dye is a brilliant and eye-catching blue color to fabric At the beginning Indigo was used for coloring the wool. It has been cultivated worldwide for centuries. In modern India mostly the synthetic dyes are used for coloring but  Indigofera tinctoria is the natural dye which. In Malaysia it is called nila, tarum in Indonesia and basma in Iran and Soviet Union countries. The naturally occurring Indigo is a shrub. It grows unto height one to two meter height. It is basically an annual, biennial and perennial plant depending on the climate. It has light green leaves and a violet-pink fluorescence. It is a leguminous plant. This is obtained from the leaves of the plant which process as first soaked in water then kept for fermentation. After the fermentation it naturally started to convert Glycosidic Indican molecules into the blue dye indigotin. In the 13th century Marco Polo was the first European who found the preparation of indigo in India. In European countries  at the beginning of the middle age indigo was used for easel painting.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/plant/indigo-plant-genus