Why Tyrian Purple Dye Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business 

I wish people heard the final words “the main concern should always be to preserve the species because if there’s no murex there’s no dye” So all the folks attacking him…please stop. He’s an artisan, this is cultural preservation.

Is it me or was anyone expecting that accent of the guy making the purple 🟣?

Again thanks for your nice comments and God have mercy on those who keep accusing without having a single clue about my actual dyeing work or intentions! I hope this message gets to most viewers since l am not going to spend my time justifying my actions to people who aren't even ready to listen! Again, more than 90% of the Murex l use are naturally trapped in fishermen nets and that are otherwise either consumed by the fishermen themselves or sold to local seafood restaurants so basically most of the Murex l am using are not caught specifically for dyeing purposes exception made of the small portion caught by the divers. On the other hands and as mentioned earlier, l respect the seasons and sort the snails by size before processing them. Moreover, l naturally consume these mollusks like so many Tunisians l just make sure not to waste the dye. Also all the other parts of the snail are recycled, shells are turned into lime, opercula as incense fixative and even the guts are processed into garum while hundreds of thousands of tons of other marine creatures are harvested every year in the whole world for meat consumption only while the rest of the creature is dumped and nobody seems to care!! My work extends over 15 years and no harm has ever been caused to the local Murex which is more abundant than ever here! Let me remind those who are appalled by the use of a natural ingredient to produce a colorant and prefer replicating it chemically that synthetic dyeing is the world's most polluting industry harming millions of living beings every year so l wonder who the real assassins are! Finally you can continue calling me names such killer, murderer, psycho, criminal or whatever your mind dictates to you to say without even making the effort to dig further and learn more about my work l honestly don't care because l have total peace of mind about what l am doing and l will definitely not spend my life justifying my actions to people who's only concern is to accuse others without even listening to the other side. Keep in mind that prejudice is ignorance so may God lead us all to the light! A big thanks again to all the supporters from all over the world 🌎

Over the years l learned to use Murex meat in so many ways! Grilled, boiled, steamed, fried or sauted it's an amazing treat packed with vitamins and proteins! I wish we could find the time to figure out all the different uses of our food (seeds, peels, shells, leaves...) . If we manage to re-use half of our daily waste the world would have been a much better place

To teach yourself a craft that essentially resurrects a product that was virtually extinct is pretty amazing, and the passion and morals behind it have to be recognized. I'm a tradesman myself, so I really admire and appreciate a master in their craft. I don't think much of the colour (just my opinion), but big props to your work. Just my 2cents.

I appreciate that he uses the entire snail! I also appreciate that he cares about the snails not becoming over harvested. Natural dyes are extremely interesting to me! The work put into this process is commendable!!

It makes me immensely happy to see he is doing this sustainably and minimising as much waste as possible. His comment somewhere in this section highlights how he has kept an eye on the local species population and that its been stable if not better, that he ensures every part of the snail gets used in other industry and/or for consumption.

Tyrian purple originates from the Phoenician city Tyr (today located in Lebanon). Phoenicians from Tyr, led by a princess forced to exile, founded the city of Carthage (today located in Tunisia). I didn't know that craftsmen are still using these ancestral techniques to produce this beautiful color ... it's great to see ... Thank you Ghassen !

I was not expecting him to sound so american

I am a Tunisian artist and I am happy to see you posting about Tunisian art and we need to see more episodes from the locals because this place is swimming in under valued art in all forms and it will be cool to show it to the world

Nothing but respect for his hard work and beautiful craft. Natural dyes are superior. Cancer rates are skyrocketing, and it's because we are using synthetic cheap barely regulated products on ourselves. People used these natural dyes for hundreds if not thousands of years. As long as it's sustainable (and it appears to be), I'm all for it. The respect he has and the fact he uses every part is awesome to me. I hope he flourishes 😊and teaches more people so this unique way of making dye continues on. ❤

Thank you Insider for this amazing documentary, and kudos to both Slim and Ghassen for keeping this dye making process alive.

I remember learning about this dye and it's making from "sea snails" from my HS World History class. I was taught by a Nun who wanted us to be as fascinated by all of the little fun tidbits of history as she was. She would be so pleased to know you are bringing this back to life. Bless you Sir, and God Rest you Sister Adele.

I remember reading about tyrion purple in the Roman empire and that it disappeared when the empire fell in my history textbook in high school. So glad it has been brought back. This is one of those things that will stay small scale and niche. That is a good thing in this case. Conservation and responsible production should go hand in hand.

Purple is my favorite color - so seeing it created through its ancient natural process, was really fascinating!❤

In Mexico we have a another species of mollusk that creates a purple dye, the difference is that we don’t have to kill the mollusk for the dye. It creates a different Shade of purple from the tyrian purple

I haven't used animal-based dyes but I'm pretty good at using vegetable dyes. You can get a shade of purple that's close to Tyrian purple using Brazilwood (hot pink), Logwood (bluish purple but mostly blue), and Madder (bright red) but it's a little duller in color; not nearly as magnificent and vibrant as real Tyrian purple. It's been awhile since I experimented with purples. My thing of late is extracting the four different pigments from safflower petals. There are two yellows and two red/pinks and each requires a different extraction technique. Dyeing stuff with natural materials is fascinating.

The Tyrian purple looks absolutely stunning. Seems like the workers are dedicated through and through.

It’s always such a pleasure to find someone that takes joy in their craft

This is a culture of the Carthaginians and Phoenicians. If you people don't like the idea, mind your own business. He could farm these snails, but he probably needs the money to make a farming of these shells possible.

Its so amazing how early people discover they can produce such a beautiful color dye from shell gland. True amazing

This particular documentary were felt like a journey to me it was amazing. Like eating a extraordinary food from a famous chef and having an endless aftertaste in your mouth. Thanks a lot crew.

Historically, I appreciate the value of it. All fabric looked pre used and bleed out. Rather let down in the expectation of something grand & worthy of nobility.

Started in Lebanese and brought over by the Phonecians who became Carthaginians in Tunisia. GLad to see our other Arabian brothers in Tunisia still doing it.

it's amazing how high level of expertise and skill this craft needs and even more amazing that he figured it out himself after the craft has already been lost! i do hope this craft won't disappear seeing as it's very niche. I hope he'll have apprentices that are as passionate about this as he is.

1:34 didn't expect him to talk like that! what a pleasant surprise! haha

As a painter that is allways experimenting with traditional and natural based dyes, I found your work trully inspiring and enlightening, and I wish people where able to diferenttiate between vocation and passion un preserving knowledge, from industrial exolotation

I actually learned about this in an ancient history class because purple dye was so rare it needed this context for some events.

The color of Tyrian Purple is absolutely stunning though, it's so vibrant. That's a ton of work though.

Amazing! As someone who has done a LOT of dying fabrics, I can appreciate this incredible ancient craft. Fascinating.

Tyrian Purple is my favorite color. I've loved purple since my earliest years of life and Tyrian has such a mystique to it, worn by royals and legends, and the curiosity of who the first person was to figure this out. I know the legend involving Heracles, but the reality of it is so interesting.

People complaining about one man sustainably harvesting snails to create a culturally significant and rare dye are ridiculous. Yet these same people say “use synthetics” even though those are very harmful to the humans producing it, and their production often destroys entire ecosystems due to the use of toxic chemicals.

Interesting to see what David Blaine is up to in his free time

This process is so amazing. Purple and INDIGOES have always been my Fave colors. 💜💜💜

Amazing how someone figured out this gland in this snail turned into this dye.

As a seafood enthusiast who loves mollusks, it’s good to know that the rest of the snail is consumed. 😊

It is one of the pigments I wanted and would love to learn how to make even if it’s hard to make. According to history Tyrian purple is so unique and rare.

Thanks Mohamed, for carrying on our ancestor's craft. From a Lebanese cousin!

Thank you for reviving this art as well as saving this species and those that depend on them.

I remember this topic from our history class. For starters, we found out that goods like authentic purple dye and saffron always cost at least twice if not thrice the weight of gold.

I remember there being an ancient law that allowed women to get divorced from their husband if he was a pigment producer, because the process was so smelly.

Many thanks, as a kid I loved to read history, Tyrian dye was one of those things that sparked even more interest in more history. Like any art form, it takes time, patience on both sides, either the creator and or the viewer. Seeing shades of a hand made colour lets the mind wonder naturally as well. After watching this, brought back memories as well of a friend who could not afford her own paints, so learned how to make her own colours, many years later people would always simply ask why. Those that understood would just laugh and reply, so you're not an artist, what do you do....

Beautiful purple. Also, that’s some patience the guy has! Serious respect!

I hope and wish Tunisia all the best in preserving its unique purple history.

Thats amazingly, the colour is so strong and powerful

I'm Lebanese.. this person took me too to my bronze age roots!

💜 love how elaborate this vibrant color processing is! Conservation of these wonderful 🐌snails are first priority always...

What an amazing ancient craft! Also glad you recognize the need to maintain a sustainability of the snails

Basically the harder it is to make something the more expensive it becomes, that is what I have learned from these videos

wow, great video, loved the history lesson and very interesting why purple is related to the upper echelon

*_Traditional crafts are still important. Recently I saw another video about rare Red dyes._* When it takes 100 grams of rare snail gland to make 1 gram of pure Tyrian Purple Dye, and many laborious steps done entirely by hand, it is by definition rare and expensive. I hope Mohamed Ghassen makes a decent profit and that he has a long and bountiful life. He has taken a path very few other people have ever taken. *_There will always be a market for rare ingredients used in traditional crafts._*

Thank you for keeping history alive . I absolutely love that colour

Loved the video. Keep 'em coming 💜💜

This guy speaks perfect English.

Amazing I love the fact that you keep it small ,this is very special and not to be exploited ..so I salute you in keeping it that way !! Simply Beautiful 💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜💙💜

This is a stunningly amazing presentation. Absolutely unbelievable. Crazy unbelievable. Seriously, I can't believe it. Kings wore purple.

Rare to see someone putting that much effort to revive something that has gone extinct for a while.

I am Proud Of You Mohammad Ghassan . Amazing . keep walk 🙏🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Those are very elegant colors. Even today is not common to find clothe with those colors, in my whole life I just had less than 10 pieces of clothing in those colors.

Whats truly inspiring for me is he reconstructed a lost art from old texts, thats a feat on its own

I thought this art had died out, glad to see it’s still alive.

this is fascinating! i love the shades of the dye. i can‘t remember where i read it, but there supposedly is a technique that keeps the snail alive and you can harvest more colour over time. the snail is brought to cough out the pigment. if i‘m not wrong that was the technique used in precolumbian mexico in the lower mixtec region.

Always love this old method and ancient craft brought to life

Dope how the purple is a class and technique not just a single color using many ways to produce

Fun fact: Carthaginian Officer's during the Punic wars, often wore purple cloaks over there bronze Curass, They also donned the now extinct Barbary lion pelt over their helms, in honour off their god patron Melqart.

glad to know the whole snail is used for other stuff. (similar to cows) and not just the gland only

Thank you for your service Mohammed

Purple is such a beautiful, wonderful color..kudos!

This show is so cool, not just this episode.

mohamed is amazing! makes me want to visit him and learn

This is truly amazing

Great video! Admirable man, G-d bless him 💛

Really cool video! I kind of feel sorry for the snails but it’s very interesting see someone reviving and rediscovering the techniques of producing Tyrian purple and great that they are sensitive to the importance of their conservation.

Holy shit I did not expect his voice to sound like that

Can't believe your English is so perfect! The colors are gorgeous. You have a great life!

The term royal purple makes a bit more sense now. Amazing work.

I was super worried about a gust of wind when he was scraping the powder on the roof glass!

Not certain why I was disappointed learning there was no actual Tyrian purple; but that it can range between many shades.

and as far as the negative comments - ignore them. you've demonstrated that you are conscientious in the harvesting of the murex snails and nothing goes to waste (even garum!! :-)). you're someone to be emulated in your craft, not criticized or denigrated!

Amazing video! Courage Ghassan vous êtes incroyable

My ancestors the phoenicians who created this dye and method, the name Tyr is to the ancient city Tyr (Lebanon) whom this dye originated from. This man took him quite time to learn from his errors and achieve this dye. This dye is not just unique and expensive but it lasts forever and it goes darker as it ages (the color of the cloths/dye).

I love the fact that he said he wanted to preserve the species and the snail isn't going to waste after taking the gland. Maybe he could cultivate it himself so he won't need to wait for harvesting season. Another suggestion, the shell can be processed into soap, bone meal, and even explosive if you want 😅

I'm an artist and have always been fascinated by the history and evolution of pigments. You're accomplishments are extraordinary. What probably would be advantageous, though I'm not a marine biologist I do know that many civilizations artificially raise shellfish, clams, oysters, mussels, oysters for farm raised pearls, snails, and so on, with the help of chemists, marine biologists, and the technohnology involved in raising farm raised shellfish, it might just be possible to farm your own snails. Also geneticists can also or might be able to breed snails that can yield more dye, and bred for specific colors. Thank you for this opportunity to better understand this extradinary dye of antiquity. After all, where would humanity and civilization be without color?

Amazing video! Very interesting, informative and fun to watch. Plus, if the snails are cooked and eaten after, there's pretty much zero waste! (I'm sure they even find use for the shells!) Thank you for sharing this incredible process with the world!! 🙂❤

Very beautiful

Emperors purple

In Essaouira, Morocco I hired a translator and went in search of the ancient Roman Caesar’s staple for garnets Tyrian purple. Through the translator I explained in great detail what this was used for in ancient times and how it has always been a dream of mine to see cloth made and dyed this colour. I got to see this first hand when the merchant dyed a piece of snow white fabric with natural green powder that he made from snail in front of me, I was so taken aback when the cloth then reemerged as an ancient Roman Tyrian purple garnet. The merchant was so proud and amazed because this meant so much to me that he gave me some dyed garment and a small bag of Tyrian purple, he told me to place it in an airtight jar and kept it then when you die take it back to your folk. Might sound odd but I will never forget this experience as long as I live.

Amazing dedication!

He could probably sell the leftover purple dye on his fingernails for like $500

His English is as beautiful as the dye. Very uncommon.

That's amazingly, The color is so strong and powerful

Keep up the good work Mr Ghassen. ✌

An amazing guy. Good for him.

That was so funny when he was racking out lines of dye on the table lmao

Woooooooow that purple is beautiful ❤️❤️💕

Tyrian purple is a mix of indigoid dyes, mainly 6,6'-dibromoindigo. The blue color you get when it degrades in light is literally indigo, as used for blue jeans. I don't get why anyone should spend so much time and effort and destroy so many snails just to extract a substance that has been thoroughly characterized by modern chemistry. It's relatively easy to synthesize from tryptophan, but the biochemical pathway that produces it in nature is also well understood. There's even a study published in Nature on E. coli that's been engineered to produce it on a potentially industrial scale. If you want to be especially authentic, you could figure out the exact mix of chemicals found in natural Tyrian purple and replicate it. At that point, nobody would be able to identify a difference. It's not like when mauve was first developed, which made purple dye cheap for the first time, but had its own distinct hue. This would be precisely the same mix of chemicals that's being refined here in this video, just cheaper and less stinky. But as far as dyes go, Tyrian purple isn't even all that good. It's not very lightfast, and it's not that easy to work with, being poorly soluble and binding to fibers relatively poorly. From a purely practical standpoint, there are better options these days. Some crafts disappeared because they just don't make sense anymore. There are products that can't be acquired by any other means than some ancient and painstaking process, so they continue to be expensive and rare. But Tyrian purple falls comfortably in the former category, not the latter.

I'm just curious how and why the very first person to discover purple dye from snail glands did it. "I'm gonna bust open 500 pounds of little creatures and remove their glands, then after a copious amount of tedious work I should have enough color to dye a very small spot on my clothes".

It's nice to revive old culture specially something that was revered so highly in the past but I don't see why it needs to be commercialized again. Killing so many snails for just a coloring agent is inhuman.

Wow that's truly amazing

This is insanely impressive