What Is Natural Pigment Called?

Natural pigment refers to pigment materials extracted from nature, including plants, minerals and some animals. Unlike artificial synthetic pigments, natural pigments do not need to go through a complex chemical synthesis process, but are directly obtained from natural resources, and are natural and environmentally friendly.

Common types of natural pigments:
Plant-derived pigments: extracted from leaves, flowers, roots or seeds of plants (such as chlorophyll from leaves, carotene from carrots, and anthocyanins from berries).

Mineral-derived pigments: made from natural minerals and rocks (such as ochre, malachite and ultramarine).

Animal-derived pigments: extracted from certain insects or marine organisms (such as carmine from cochineal, ink pigment from squid ink).

Application areas:
Natural pigments are widely used in food (as natural pigments), cosmetics (for environmentally friendly and safe products) and art (painting materials for making organic pigments). They are favored for their environmental protection and biodegradability, but may not be as stable and color intensity as synthetic pigments.

In some contexts, natural pigments are also referred to as bio-pigments or eco-pigments to emphasize their organic and sustainable properties.