Turkish Red (rouge Turk): The 18th Century Dye that Shaped Fashion

Turkish Red, a dye from Edirne, became highly prized in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Turkish Red (Turkiye red/Turkey red) is a tone of red that was widely used in cotton dyeing during the 18th and 19th centuries. The color code is #A91101. It is produced through a long and labor-intensive process using the root of the madder plant (Rubia tinctorum). This dye originates from either India or Turkiye and was introduced to Europe in the 1740s. In France, it is known as rouge d'Andrinople (Edirne Red) or rouge Turk. 

Red tones were almost endless and abundant, but one particular shade stood out distinctly. When we refer to Turkish Red, it encompasses all the processes used to obtain this specific color tone during the dyeing of cotton fabrics. It is both a world-renowned shade of red and a term that refers to a particular cotton dyeing process. 

One of the popular colors exported from Turkiye and India to Europe in the early 18th and 19th centuries was Turkish Red, known in France as rouge d'Andrinople. 

The raw material for this color is obtained from the root of the rubia plant. The dyeing process is long and complex, requiring the fabric to be washed multiple times in an alkaline solution made from olive oil, sheep manure, and other ingredients. This labor-intensive process results in a brilliant and lasting red that is perfect for cotton fabrics. The dyed fabric was widely exported from Europe to Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. 

History 

This color holds great importance in the dye industry, having been produced as a root dye in the city of Edirne as early as the 15th century. 

Edirne Red, first used by the Edirnekâri masters in the 15th century, involved a very labor-intensive dyeing process and became a highly sought-after color in Europe. Those who discovered its secret were rewarded with great recognition and wealth. As the fame of Turkish Red spread across Europe, it captured the attention of dyeing masters, textile workers, industrialists, and artists, all of whom sought to obtain this coveted shade. 

Edirne Red, a color of significant importance in the global textile industry, was produced as a root dye in Edirne in the 15th century. From the 1700s onward, there was a fierce competition between London and Paris, not just in other industries, but also in the race to acquire Turkish Red. During this period, the French were forced to send thousands of meters of fabric to the Ottoman Empire just to have it dyed, while the British attempted to uncover the formula for the special dyeing technique. All these efforts were aimed at obtaining this particular red tone. 

By order of the Sultan, sharing the formulas for this color was prohibited, leading to espionage incidents in Edirne at the time. However, these efforts ultimately proved successful. 

The special formula for Turkish Red, discovered by two Turkish dye masters who developed a brighter version of brick red (which would later be called Edirne Red by the French), was learned by French dye masters who traveled to Edirne. They took this formula back to Europe. Beginning in the 1740s, this special red color was used for dyeing or printing cotton fabrics in England, the Netherlands, and France.