I'm wondering about the assumption that flags were "flown by many people almost all the time". I believe the madder root can dye fabrics orange too [0,1,2]—I d

I'm wondering about the assumption that flags were "flown by many people almost all the time". I believe the madder root can dye fabrics orange too [0,1,2]—I don't know anything about the chemical process, or whether this is what old orange flags (like the Dutch) actually used. But it does look like a more muted color; the deeper red/crimson is what you get from using more (?) of this dyestuff, and is more saturated and vibrant. Maybe your thesis is basically right: though many fabric colors were available, people gravitated towards the ones that produced the most vibrant, striking hues—i.e. favoring red over orange. At least for ostentatious purposes like state flags. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubia#/media/File:Naturally_dyed_skeins.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubia#/media/File:Naturally_dy... ("Skeins of yarn colored with dye from madder root, Rubia tinctorum") [1] https://localcolordyes.com/2013/11/29/madder-the-inexhaustible-root-part-one-orange/ https://localcolordyes.com/2013/11/29/madder-the-inexhaustib... ("Madder the Inexhaustible Root–Part One: Orange") [2] https://localcolordyes.com/2014/01/04/madder-the-inexhaustible-subject-matter/ https://localcolordyes.com/2014/01/04/madder-the-inexhaustib... ("Madder the Inexhaustible Subject Matter")