Indigos

Indigo, derived from plants of the Indigofera genus, was one of the most valuable dyes in the American Colonies and a cornerstone of the South Carolina economy by the mid-18th century. Indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, indigo was prized for producing a permanent blue on cotton without a mordant—a rarity among natural dyes. Its cultivation and processing relied on enslaved African expertise, who brought centuries-old knowledge of fermenting and extracting the dye. The resulting “blue gold” linked the colonies to a global network stretching from West African dyers and the “Blue People” to the Maya who created the famed “Maya Blue.” Across cultures, indigo symbolized prestige, spirituality, and artistry—its foaming vats, earthy scent, and brilliant color uniting people around the world through the enduring power of blue.

Resist designs use various materials:molten wax, clay and tree gums. Acheiving a deep indigo blue required repeated dyeing over several days.

18th Century Indigo prints would have been resist. Discharge method began in 1813.