Colorants can be either dyes or pigments. Dyes are soluble colored organic compounds that are usually applied to textiles from a solution in water. They are designed to bond strongly to the polymer molecules that make up the textile fiber. Pigments are insoluble compound used in paints ,printing inks ,ceramics and plastic .They are applied by using a dispersion in a suitable medium.

Colorant compounds regularly used in textile industry that's are - to color clothes, paints ,plastic, photographs, prints ,and ceramics.