BASF commercialized synthetic indigo for large-scale denim dyeing in 1897.
The German chemical company BASF developed an industrial process for producing synthetic indigo after Adolf von Baeyer’s earlier laboratory research established the dye’s chemistry. BASF’s commercial production made it possible to supply a consistent blue dye in quantities suitable for textile manufacturing.
Synthetic indigo changed the economics of denim. Natural indigo depended on agricultural crops, harvest conditions, and regional supply networks. Industrial production offered more predictable color and volume, helping manufacturers expand blue workwear production.
BASF is sometimes confused with Baeyer because their names are connected in the history of indigo. Baeyer was the chemist whose research led to a synthesis and who received the 1905 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. BASF was the company that turned synthetic indigo into an industrial product. Modern denim may use synthetic indigo, natural indigo, or blends of dyeing practices.