The Color Characteristic of Natural Dyes Considered from the CIELAB Color Space

Abstract

The color of cloth, thread or Japanese paper which was dyed with natural dyes, natural pigments or synthetic dyes by the dyers or the tinters in Japan was measured using a spectrophotometric colorimeter. The color characteristic of natural dyes has been considered from the measured L^*a^*b^* values (CIELAB)． Natural dyes can develop the vivid yellow and the vivid red and the chroma of the turmeric, the pagoda tree, the amur corktree, the goldthread, the onion, the safflower, the cochineal and the lac was high specifically. On the one hand, natural dyes cannot develop vivid purple, vivid bluish green and dull green with the low brightness. The fiber which was dyed with natural inorganic pigments such as the ultramarine and the patina included the color which can't dye with the natural dyes. However, it was possible to distinguish from the dyestuff by the use of microscopic observation (×200). The color which can be dyed with natural dye and the color which can be dyed only with synthetic dye were made clear. The color which can't dye with natural colorant was in the cloth which showed a traditional color before the Edo period.