Legendary hue 'Edirne Red' finds new life in modern design

EDİRNE

A vibrant shade once coveted across Europe, Edirne Red, known in French as Rouge d’Adrinople, is making a comeback in Türkiye’s northwestern city of Edirne, where it was first created in the 15th century using natural dyes.

Described as a brighter version of brick red, the color was originally developed by two dye masters in Edirne during the Ottoman era. Its secret formula became the subject of espionage and was eventually smuggled to Europe, where it was reproduced in France in the 1740s and widely adopted by the textile industry.

Today, researchers at Trakya University are reviving the long-lost hue through a series of scientific and agricultural projects.

Associate Professor Nilgün Becenen, head of the university’s rose and red research center, said the team has managed to rediscover the dye’s original tone after months of experimentation.

“We studied the cultivation and harvesting conditions of the madder plant, prepared dyeing recipes and conducted over 500 trials before reaching the authentic color,” she said.

Working with the Edirne Governor’s Office, the municipality and local farmers, the team has reintroduced the Rubia tinctorum plant, the natural source of the dye, to local fields.

“Production has begun, and this plant can provide farmers with additional income, especially in areas unsuitable for crops like sunflower or wheat,” Becenen explained. “It’s a sustainable source of natural pigment containing up to 30 color tones and free of allergens or carcinogens.”

The modern-day applications of Edirne Red now extend far beyond textiles.

According to Becenen, the natural pigment can be used on fabrics, ceramics, wood and even in home decor. “It’s a vivid, adaptable color that enhances whatever it’s applied to,” she added.