Dye wood, fungi, and lichens. Most dyes are synthetic, i.e., are man-made from petrochemicals. Other than pigmentation, they have a range of applications including organic dye lasers, optical media (CD-R) and camera sensors (color filter array). Textile dyeing dates back to the Neolithic period. Throughout history, people have dyed their textiles using common, locally available materials. Scarce dyestuffs that produced brilliant and permanent colors such as the natural invertebrate dyes Tyrian purple and crimson kermes were highly prized luxury items in the ancient and medieval world. Plant-based dyes such as woad, indigo, saffron, and madder were important trade goods in the
Squaraine dye Squaraine dye Squaraine dyes are a class of organic dyes showing intense fluorescence, typically in the red and near infrared region (absorption maxima are found between 630 and 670 nm and their emission maxima are between 650–700 nm). They are characterized by their unique aromatic four membered ring system derived from squaric acid. Most squaraines are encumbered by nucleophilic attack of the central four membered ring, which is highly electron deficient. This encumbrance can be attenuated by the formation of a rotaxane around the dye to protect it from nucleophiles. They are currently used as sensors for ions and have