Turkey Red
Authors: Wertz Julie , Faiers Jonathan , Mullins Willow , Lemire Beverly , Carden Susan , Anderson Fiona 
Published: February 2024

This multi-disciplinary study examines the exceptional Turkey red textile dyeing process and product. Prized for its brilliant colour and durability, yet notoriously difficult to produce, the textile was consumed locally and exported around the world. Considered one of the first instances of industrial espionage, the expansion of the Turkey red industry is closely linked to the Industrial Revolution and the emergence of a new global economy. Significant technological advances in chemistry and dyeing were motivated by the demands of Turkey red dyers and printers, who were located primarily in the west of Scotland, the north of England, and around Mulhouse, Switzerland.

This book explores the arc of the Turkey red industry, the evolution of the process through key producers and technical developments, the complicated printing process, and finishes with an examination of significant Turkey red collections and a selection of object case studies. The chemistry of the process is described in an accessible, contextual manner, highlighting the significance of the distinctive technique that yielded the best red attainable on cotton.

Drawing on both historical and contemporary study, Turkey Red presents significant new research on the material characterisation of this fascinating, eye-catching textile, and offers an in-depth historical example of the global effect of textile consumption.

This book is the most comprehensive examination of Turkey red textiles and dyeing to date. The bright red cotton, renowned for its brilliant hue and resistance to fading, was a household name during the nineteenth century and a major industrial product. Following an extensive analysis of historical dyeing methods and texts on the topic, Wertz proposes a process-based definition of Turkey red as cotton fibers pre-treated with oil, then aluminium, and dyed with madder or synthetic alizarin and calcium. A discussion of textile dyeing processes fitting this definition, along with trade accounts and other documentary evidence, reveals the possible origins of Turkey red in India. The dyeing process is presented along with a discussion of the chemical interactions taking place, and how this contributes to the particular fastness of the final product. Its resistance to bleaching and wash fading made it especially useful for domestic textiles and high-use garments. These properties, and the dyeing process itself, meant that printed Turkey red could only be obtained through discharging fully-dyed cloth of the red before selectively adding other colors. Turkey red both drove and benefited from technological innovations like chlorine bleaching, the synthesis of alizarin, and the development of Turkey red oil, as well as the mechanization and increased production capacity of the Industrial Revolution. Archival material provides insight into the nineteenth-century industry and how international markets made it a global product. A survey of Turkey red collection objects, paintings, photographs, and other materials showcases its appeal, versatility, and durability as a textile.