Scheele’s Green for Vibrant Fabrics
Green was all the rage in Victorian fashion. Advances in dye chemistry led to Scheele’s Green, a vibrant, bright color that made a bold fashion statement that didn’t fade over time. Swedish chemist Karl Scheele discovered the formula for a stable dye using copper arsenite in the 1770s. Scheele’s Green (also known as Paris Green) quickly grew popular, showing up in the most fashionable houses in wallpaper, paint, toys, and other home decor.
The color could also be used in luxury goods like artificial flowers and candy. The dye worked amazingly well on textiles. Prior to Scheele’s Green, green dyes would fade rather quickly, but finally fine fashionistas had a bright, pure green that would last through wash and wear. Unfortunately, the chemistry behind Scheele’s Green held a nasty little secret.
