Woad vs. Indigo — What's the Difference?

A dye obtained from the woad plant.

A deep blue dye from the Indigofera plant.

Used for medicinal and pigment purposes.

Global dyeing material with a rich history.

A plant species (Isatis tinctoria) used for blue dye.

A plant genus used for extracting blue dye.

Historical dyeing material in Europe.

The mainstay of textile dyeing industries.

A symbol of ancient and medieval dyeing traditions.

Represents the evolution of dyeing technologies.

A yellow-flowered European plant of the cabbage family. It was formerly widely grown in Britain as a source of blue dye, which was extracted from the leaves after they had been dried, powdered, and fermented.

Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin for Indian as the dye was originally exported to Europe from India.

An annual Eurasian plant (Isatis tinctoria) in the mustard family, formerly cultivated for its leaves that yield a blue dye.

Any of various shrubs or herbs of the genus Indigofera in the pea family, having pinnately compound leaves and usually red or purple flowers in axillary racemes.

The dye obtained from this plant.

A dark blue crystalline compound, C16H10N2O2, that is obtained from these plants or produced synthetically and is widely used as a textile dye. Also called indigotin.

(countable) The plant Isatis tinctoria.

Any of several related plants, especially those of the genera Amorpha and Baptisia.

The blue dye made from the leaves of the plant.

The hue of that portion of the visible spectrum lying between blue and violet, evoked in the human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 420 to 450 nanometers; a dark blue to grayish purple blue.

To plant or cultivate woad.

A purplish-blue colour

To dye with woad.

An indigo-colored dye obtained from certain plants (the indigo plant or woad), or a similar synthetic dye.

An herbaceous cruciferous plant (Isatis tinctoria) of the family Cruciferae (syn. Brassicaceae). It was formerly cultivated for the blue coloring matter derived from its leaves. See isatin.

An indigo plant, such as from species in genera Indigofera, Amorpha (false indigo), Baptisia (wild indigo), and Psorothamnus and Dalea (indigo bush).

A blue dyestuff, or coloring matter, consisting of the powdered and fermented leaves of the Isatis tinctoria. It is now superseded by indigo, but is somewhat used with indigo as a ferment in dyeing.

Having a deep purplish-blue colour

A blue dyestuff obtained from the woad plant

A kind of deep blue, one of the seven prismatic colors.

Any of several herbs of the genus Isatis

A blue dyestuff obtained from several plants belonging to very different genera and orders, such as, the woad, Isatis tinctoria (family Cruciferae), Indigofera suffroticosa, Indigofera tinctoria (family Leguminosae), Indigofera Anil, Nereum tinctorium, Polygonum tinctorium Ait. (family Polygonaceae), etc.; called also natural indigo. It is a dark blue earthy substance, tasteless and odorless, with a copper-violet luster when rubbed. Indigo does not exist in the plants as such, but is obtained by decomposition of the glycoside indican.

Having the color of, pertaining to, or derived from, indigo.

A blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically

Deciduous subshrub of southeastern Asia having pinnate leaves and clusters of red or purple flowers; a source of indigo dye

A blue-violet color

Woad was mainly used in Europe, especially in ancient and medieval times, for dyeing textiles.

Indigo is a deep blue dye extracted from several species of the Indigofera plant, used worldwide for dyeing textiles.

Woad is a dye obtained from the leaves of the Isatis tinctoria plant, historically used in Europe for producing blue dye.

Yes, woad has been used for medicinal purposes and as a pigment in addition to being a dye.

Yes, woad has been used as a pigment in painting, alongside its dyeing applications.

Woad produces a lighter blue shade, while indigo yields a deeper and more vibrant blue.

Yes, indigo is more popular and widely used than woad due to its deeper color and global availability.

Indigo dye is produced through the fermentation of Indigofera plant leaves, which releases indigotin, the dye's main component.

Yes, the dyeing process for indigo can be water-intensive and potentially polluting if waste is not properly managed.

Woad cultivation was a significant economic activity in regions like France and Britain, due to the demand for blue dye.

Indigo is preferable for its richer color, more straightforward dyeing process, and more consistent results.

The main differences lie in the concentration of dye produced, with indigo yielding a higher concentration of indigotin, leading to a deeper blue color.

While both provide a blue hue, indigo’s color is typically deeper and more vibrant, making it distinguishable from woad.

Indigo replaced woad due to its superior dye quality, richer color, and more efficient production process.

The use of indigo has evolved from traditional textile dyeing to being a key ingredient in modern denim manufacturing.