The CWC would affect U.S. firms that make dyes and pigments, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, nylon, paint and varnish, electronics, textiles, and soap and detergent.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Chemical weapons treaty quicksand

For Lord McAlpine, the appeal of textiles lies in their imaginative, abstract designs and the subtle colours that come from using vegetable rather than synthetic dyes.

ECONOMIST: Art.view: From Rothko to rag dolls | The