Without the existence of specialized rods and cones inside the human eye, the world around us would be a much duller place. Without color, a key component of our visible experience would be lost and entire industries would be flushed away or dramatically altered, including interior and graphic design, clothing retail, advertising and especially the manufacturing of paints and coatings. Thankfully, this isn’t the world we live in, and the vibrancy of colorful pigments is an experience that most of us are able to take for granted in our everyday lives.
Historically, clothing dyes and paints were only as good as the natural materials available. Different colors came from different sources that included exotic plants, insects, aquatic life and more. Blue was derived from the indigo plant (and still is), red from the insect kermes, and so forth.