The European import market has also seen some growth and reached 5,538 MTs in 1998, which was an increase of 64 percent from 1994 and 14 percent from 1997. The EU import statistics combine natural dyes with natural colorants. Dye extracts but excl. Supply The US and EU import market supply of natural dyes is dominated by Mexico. Mexico is the primary supplier of brazilwood and logwood.
Commercial indigo is sourced from both Mexico and India.
Lac, cutch, barberry, kamala, tesu and dolu are all primarily sourced from India, and cochineal and annatto seeds come mainly from Peru. Both India and China have also made major advances in their ability to certify dyes for export from their point of origin. Prices Import prices for natural dyes are not reported officially, as importers guard their prices competitively. Cochineal s import price is the only one reported, and historically it has been double that of other dyes because of the inconsistency of its supply. This decrease in cochineal s import price, however, has not transferred to the retail level, as cochineal s extract carmine is the most expensive of the natural colorants, and is the only red colorant approved by the FDA for food, drugs and cosmetic application.