Mauveine
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Mauveine, also known as aniline purple and Perkin's mauve, was one of the first synthetic dyes. It was discovered serendipitously by William Henry Perkin in 1856 while he was attempting to synthesise the phytochemical quinine for the treatment of malaria. It is also among the first chemical dyes to have been mass-produced.
Letter from Perkin's son, with a sample of dyed silk
Professor Charles Rees—wearing a bow tie dyed with an original sample of mauveine—holding an RSC journal named after Perkin
Dye
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A dye is a colored substance that chemically bonds to the substrate to which it is being applied. This distinguishes dyes from pigments which do not chemically bind to the material they color. Dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution and may require a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber.
Drying colored cloth
Dyeing wool cloth, 1482: from a French translation of Bartolomaeus Anglicus
Historical collection of over 10,000 dyes at Technical University Dresden, Germany
RIT brand dye from mid-20th century Mexico, part of the permanent collection of the Museo del Objeto del Objeto