Vermilion Poplin Short

Vermilion is an ancient color dating back to 8000 BC. Grinding the precious mineral cinnabar produced the brilliant red powder known as vermilion. The word is Latin for “worm”. It has long been coveted by the wealthy in various societies throughout time.. The Chinese regarded it as the color of life and made potions out of it. The Romans forced prisoners to mine it and because the mining of this mineral was so toxic, their life span was only three years. Its brilliant red also contributed to the origins of cosmetics - victorious Roman generals would decorate their faces with vermilion to celebrate a victory. In India, the red dot (vermilion) on a woman’s forehead is called a “sindoor” and is a sign of fertility. For further detail on this textile click here.