In order to obtain the water-soluble dyestuffs, the mass is separated from the twigs, crushed, and then rubbed on a rough surface under water, which carries off the dyestuffs, leaving the insoluble resin for later use. Lac is definitely a renewable product. It grows in generous quantities without any human assistance, wild, so to speak, in the forests of the countries where it is native to. Lac is also cultivated in Thailand.
Historical Data
The dark red of lac dye has been found in Roman textiles in Palmyra and, therefore, it was imported from India to the Near East more then 2,000 years ago. Carpet manufacturing was under the patronage of the court, in the Safavidian Persia, Ottoman Empire and Indian Moghul Empire.
