Avocados, Before MillennialsWe can thank giant prehistoric sloths for the dispersal of avocados. But there is evidence the humble pit has long been used for dye or ink. And its application to textiles goes back generations, though it is often not preserved in the written record. “Avocado pink is a bit of a mystery,” said Jennifer Gómez Menjívar, an associate professor of Spanish and Latin American studies at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. But traces of alpaca and llama wool dyed with avocado seeds have been unearthed in archaeological sites as well, notably in the Andean highlands where the Aymara and Quechua people have resided for millions of years.

Source: New York Times July 15, 2019 09:07 UTC