Howlite is a beautiful white mineral rock that is commonly used to make jewelry and other decorative items. Its white color and web-like grey or black veins make it quite striking and visually appealing. However, howlite is also often dyed to create vibrant blue howlite, which has become very popular in recent years. But is blue howlite actually natural, or is the blue color artificially added? The answer is no – blue howlite is not found naturally.
In its raw, natural state, howlite is always white or grey in color. The blue color does not occur at all in unaltered howlite taken straight from the earth. The vivid blue hues that we see in howlite jewelry and décor pieces today is solely the result of artificial dyeing processes. So while the howlite itself is completely natural, the blue color specifically is man-made.
This dyeing process that turns natural white howlite into popular blue howlite was developed relatively recently. Historically, howlite was left in its original white form and not dyed or enhanced with color. It was only in the late 20th century that the technique for turning howlite blue was created. This allowed the mineral to take on an entirely new look that consumers responded very well to.
The dyes used to change the color of howlite are synthetic polymer-based dyes. The most common dye used is called phthalocyanine blue, an artificially formulated vibrant blue pigment. Howlite is extremely porous, which allows these dyes to be absorbed readily into the mineral. The dying process is done by submerging the howlite rocks into the dye solution for an extended period of time, allowing the dye to fully saturate into the porous mineral. This gives the howlite a uniform, intense blue color.
Sometimes howlite can have grey, black, or brown veins or patterns due to natural impurities. These darker sections will usually retain their original color after dying and not absorb as much of the blue dye. This creates an attractive contrast between the bright blue and the neutral grey or black veining. So in dyed howlite, the blue color is artificial while the natural vein patterns remain unchanged.
So in summary, while howlite as a mineral is entirely natural, the vibrant blue color we see in howlite jewelry and ornamental pieces has been artificially added through a dyeing process. Blue howlite does not occur naturally straight from the earth. The mineral is naturally white, grey, or neutral in tone. So if you come across bright blue howlite at a store, know that its attractive color was the result of intentional dyeing in order to transform and enhance the originally plain-colored mineral. The next time you admire the beautiful blue shades in howlite accessories, you'll know the color's artificial origins!
