Lisbon, Sept. 4, 2025 (Lusa) - Textile dyeing techniques from the 15th to 18th centuries will be investigated as part of the Scarlet project, led in Portugal by researcher Paula Nabais, from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, the higher education establishment said on Thursday.

"The aim of this research, which combines historical knowledge with scientific innovation, is to reduce the ecological footprint of textile production, promote the sustainable transformation of the sector and valorise Europe's cultural heritage," Universidade Nova said in a statement.

Paula Nabais, from the university's Department of Conservation and Restoration (DCR), will receive an early career grant from the European Research Council (ECR), worth around €1.5 million, to work on the project for five years.

In the first phase, the project aims to "study in depth historical dyeing recipes dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries, from the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, England and France". It also foresees the development of "an online platform", on which the recipes will be made available "interpreted into contemporary methods to empower the textile community, from companies to artists, exploiting the potential of natural dyes and traditional techniques".

The university explained that in Portugal, the project will focus on the application and manipulation of colour in three types of Portuguese wool: Merino, Bordaleira, and Churra.

"This study recovers and valorises past knowledge about the natural dyes used in historical textiles. By uniting science, history and art, this project opens up new perspectives for understanding our cultural heritage and, at the same time, offers sustainable solutions for the future of the textile community. Recovering historical recipes to create sustainable solutions in the present - this is SCARLET's mission," explained Paula Nabais, who is also a member of the Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, quoted in the press release.

The scientist is one of six Portuguese researchers, out of 478 across Europe, who will receive the ERC Starting grants announced on Thursday to launch their own projects, form research teams and develop promising ideas in areas such as physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, social sciences and humanities.

PAL/ADB // ADB.

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