A wooden spindle lies on bowls containing the sources for the natural dyes used in the best rugs from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. Brown is made from the pecan shells. Black is made from the mesquite beans, while blue is made from the indigo. Yellow is made from marigold flowers and lichens, while red is made from the gray-colored dried cochineal insects in front. Salt is used to fix the dyes, and the root, called amole, is used as a natural soap to wash the wool prior to processing.