Indigo dye is a natural dye that is extracted from plants and animals. Though the dye was and is still produced organically, most of the indigo dye available in the market today is mass produced through chemical processes to satisfy increased demand for blue dye.

Indigo is thus named due to its distinct blue colour. It is one of the oldest dyes in existence and has been used for many centuries in ancient India, China and Japan, for dyeing and printing textiles. India, which was the main producer of Indigo, exported the dye to Europe and the Mediterranean region through Portuguese and Arab traders. The Greeks and Romans also bought their indigo dye from India and used it as a luxury commodity. Other ancient civilizations from Africa, Mesopotamia and Egypt have also used Indigo for centuries. In most west African cultures, Indigo was used to dye garments worn by wealthy people to symbolise their status.