From the Natural Dyes list on Yahoo!Groups:
Every so often I actually read the text in books I get mainly for the illustrations — this is one: *William Morris: Decor and Design* by Elizabeth Wilhide (ISBN 0-8109-3623- 2; Abrams, 1991).
I hadn’t realized that he used only natural dyes for all of his
interior fabrics, rugs, upholstery.. . yards and yards and hundreds of
yards of printed cottons and other fabrics made of linen, wool, silk,
mohair for upholstery, drapes and curtains, rugs, tapestries.. .Lightfastness was important, and the aniline dyes of the time (late
1800s) were "prone to fading, discolouration, and bleeding." When
natural dyes "mellowed," they didn’t upset the "original tonal balance.
… Fabric dyed with indigo … kept its colour by candlelight. "The dyes he used: indigo, madder, cochineal, kermes, weld, walnut roots, and some local dyes like heather, birch twigs.