The History of Red — The Color That Made Empires Rich

What made the red coats red? 🧵 In this video we trace the story of cochineal — from the cactus farms of Oaxaca and a secret Spain guarded for two centuries to the galleons that carried it, the spies sent to steal it, and the uniforms it colored across Europe. Europe's most valuable red was not a plant, a mineral, or a myth. If you enjoyed this textile history deep dive, like the video, subscribe to Fabric Myths, and leave a comment with the next fabric origin story we should cover next 👇