Safflower | Natural Dye

Name:  Safflower  Scientific Name:  Carthamus tinctorius Safflower is a thistle-like plant with yellow flowers that is cultivated mainly to make vegetable oil from its seeds, growing well in dry areas.  It can be used to produce vibrant yellow and pink colors, orange/coral tones and even reds, depending on the methods and fibers used. Historical use of safflower: Safflower is one of the earliest known dyestuffs, with evidence of its use in textiles from ancient Egypt, more than 1900 years BCE.  It is known to have been a crop in Mesopotamia since 2500 BCE.  The burnt flowers were used in ancient Egyptian cosmetics and dried flowers were hung in the tombs of the pharaohs.  It was introduced into China 2000 years BCE and is still used in traditional Chinese medicine today.  For hundreds of years it has been used as a substitute for saffron, its perfume and flavor being very similar.  Read Micheal Garcia Safflower petal pink dyeing recipe?  Here is our recipe for dyeing with safflower! Ho