They take wool and cactus silk and turn it into these brightly colored fabrics you see lining the streets. Tucked into a small clearing between tightly packed buildings, the wool dyeing district is bursting with color. As you enter the wool dyeing district, you will begin to see bundles of string hang from bamboo poles overhead. At the center, steam pours out into the street from dark rooms where men submerge skeins of string into large vats of boiling dye. These black rooms stand in stark contrast against brightly lit shops overflowing with every imaginable color of scarf.Take a tour of the district and the men will show you the different powdered dyes set out in bowls on the street and lead you to the terraces where you can look out over the wool hanging to dry in the sun. Even if you merely stop by on your way through the souks, the aesthetic beauty of the area makes the detour is well worth your time. Once you observe the dyeing process, you will see Marrakech’s shops, its rugs and scarves, in a whole new light.


