What is Indigo?

Indigo, properly known as Indigofera tinctoria, is the plant that we use for making blue in soapmaking. It’s also the same plant that is used as a hair dye and as a fabric dye. The dye is obtained from the plant’s leaves and then processed to provide either a blue or green powder.

Other details about the plant (Indigofera tinctoria):

• Native to Africa, Asia, Mexico, and South America (well, it’s been naturalized there at least. We’re not 100% sure where it originally came from since it’s been cultivated since around 4000 B.C.)
• It’s in the pea family and grows to about 2-3′ tall and just as wide.
• In the summer, it blooms with pink or violet flowers.