Henna

Henna (hina in Arabic) is most widely known as a cosmetic body-dye, but the same plant yields textile dye when prepared differently. As a fibre dye, henna produces a range from warm terracotta through rust to reddish brown depending on mordant and concentration. It is one of the primary red-family colourants in Moroccan Amazigh weaving, alongside madder root.

Henna-dyed wool has a particular warmth, slightly earthy and orange in quality, distinct from the bluer-red of madder or the chemical red of synthetic dyes. With age, henna reds tend to soften and warm rather than fade to pink.