A chemical that is used to color a material. Colorants are utilized in a variety of sectors, including clothing, paints, plastics, pictures, prints, and ceramics.

Colorants may be dyes or pigments. Dyes are water-soluble colored organic chemicals that are often applied to textiles from a solution. They are intended to form strong bonds with the polymer molecules that comprise the textile fiber. Pigments are insoluble chemicals that are used in paints, inks, ceramics, and plastics. They are used by dispersing them in suitable media. The majority of the colors utilized are also organic substances.