Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> [the] challenge of making natural dyes

You could get legal cover for divorce if married to a worker in the production of purple, from the rotting murex, given the awful smell it gave... (Production is in general "costly", but not always with similar legal sides.)

Remember that artistic pygments (so, for goods that also involved «status symbol») had traditionally been quite toxic - using arsenic, lead... That was the available technology, and it involved drawbacks and compromises.

Edit: sorry, not just artistic: people poisoned themselves just to wear makeup. "Met Gala"s involved a drastic amount of sacrifice.




Consider applying for YC's Fall 2025 batch! Applications are open till Aug 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: