The properties of dyewood (Palo de Tinte) had a great presence in Europe.

The Mayas took advantage of the attributes of this wild tree called ek, native to humid zones, whose black color is used for dying fabrics. The wood sparked intense ambitions and clashes because its benefits provided great opportunities for commercialization by the Spaniards, who transported vast quantities of this primary resource to the Iberic Peninsula, favoring the use of dyes extracted from this species that eventually spread to the entire European textile industry.