Small amounts of other minerals may be present in fuller's earth deposits, including calcite, dolomite, and quartz. Common components are montmorillonite, kaolinite, and attapulgite. The name comes from the city of Multan, in modern-day Pakistan, the area of its origin.įuller's earth consists primarily of hydrous aluminum silicates (clay minerals) of varying composition. 'clay of Multan'), widely used in the Indian subcontinent in cosmetics. Whitening clay, particularly when used to treat facial pigmentation, such as melasma.Bleaching clay, probably because fulling whitened the cloth.
įuller's earth is also known by the following other names: Fuller's earth is the most common spelling today, but both fullers earth and fullers' earth have been widely used. The original spelling was without an apostrophe, but the apostrophe became more common in the 19th century, both before or after the s. In past centuries, fullers kneaded fuller's earth and water into woollen cloth to absorb lanolin, oils, and other greasy impurities as part of the cloth finishing process.
The English name reflects the historic use of the material for fulling (cleaning) wool, by textile workers known as fullers.
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