Making authentic Tyrian purple dye starts with extracting a murex snail gland. After a series of painstaking steps, Tunisian dye maker Mohamed Ghassen Nouira turns as much as 45 kilograms of snails into a single gram of pure Tyrian purple extract. When he's done, he can sell it for $2,700. Some retailers sell a gram of the pigment for over $3,000. In comparison, 5 grams of synthetic Tyrian purple costs under $4.

So, why is real Tyrian purple so hard to make? And is that why it's so expensive?

Mohamed Ghassen Nouira's website: https://www.argamanou.com/

MORE SO EXPENSIVE VIDEOS:
Why Spanish Glass Eels (Angulas) Are So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Insider Business
Why Pearl Lobsters Are So Expensive | So Expensive Food | Insider Business
   • Why Pearl Lobsters Are So Expensive |...  
Why Bellerby Globes Are So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business
   • Why Bellerby Globes Are So Expensive ...  



#Tyrian #SoExpensive #InsiderBusiness

Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more.

Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com
Insider Business on Facebook:   / businessinsider  
Insider Business on Instagram:   / insiderbusiness  
Insider Business on Twitter:   / businessinsider  
Insider Business on Snapchat:   / 5319643143  
Insider Business on TikTok:   / businessinsider  

Why Tyrian Purple Dye Is So Expensive | So Expensive | Insider Business