News of the NIG GmbH

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NIG Natural dyes – ERDF funding

We – the NIG GmbH – are supported by the state of Saxony-Anhalt, represented by the Investment Bank and the EFRE, European Regional Development Fund. (Period 01.04.2021 – 31.03.2022)

NIG Natural dyes – dyes from our own fields 

In Germany and also in our province Saxony-Anhalt, dye plants such as Madder (Rubia tinctoria), Weld (Reseda lutoela) or Woad (Isatis tinctoria) were cultivated and processed especially for textile dyeing until the development of synthetic dyes. 

In various research projects, NIG GmbH, together with partners from Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia, has researched the value chain from cultivation and processing of the plant material to the dyeing of textiles and leather especially.  

Actually agricultural land is in high demand under the context of food production and especially energy crop production in Europe. Set-aside areas with its specific funding opportunities for renewable raw resources, as in the 1990s in Europa existed, unfortunately no longer exist. 

NIG has been producing and marketing our natural dyes worldwide since 25 years. We have now succeeded in cultivating a few hectares of Weld and Madder in Saxony-Anhalt again, first time since around 200 years. We cooperate with an agricultural cooperative. The seeds for our Weld and the seedlings for Madder cultivation come from a specialized seed company from Thuringia. 

NIG Natural dyesReseda

NIG Natural dyesKrapp

NIG Natural dyes GOTS 6.0 approved 

The options for certifying textiles and auxiliaries for textile production are manifolt. The guidelines of the certification organizations or the requirements of the textile manufacturers and labels are just as diverse. We decided at an early stage to use the Global Organic Textile Standard, GOTS of the company IMO-ECOCERT, because it also takes into account the specifics of natural dyes.  ECOCERT offers an evaluation of textile chemicals and dyes according to the GOTS standard. Our natural dyes are approved according to the GOTS 6.0 standard. Textiles dyed with our GOTS approved dyes and auxiliaries can be certified according to GOTS. 

The official document is available for you in the menu item Download.