Indigo نیل

Indigo (نیل, nil) is the blue dye from the fermented leaves of indigo plants, chiefly Indigofera tinctoria. Dipping again gives a deeper blue, and indigo under a yellow gives green. Most indigo for Persian rugs was imported from India. Iranica associates a very dark, double-dyed blue with Bijar and Karadagh and a medium blue with Heriz. Synthetic indigo entered industrial production in 1897. Blue colour alone does not establish whether the dye is natural or synthetic.

Also nil · indigo blue · Indigofera · Indigofera tinctoria · indigo-dyed

See also Nili, Isparak, Overdyed green, Natural dye

Last reviewed November 2026