Gum rosin (also known as colophony and gum resin) is a natural plant resin that was used as far back as ancient Rome and Egypt. Gum rosin is chiefly derived from pine trees and has a wide variety of industrial applications – particularly as a processing aid and binding agent. It can also be modified to create other useful derivatives (e.g. rosin esters). Gum rosin is used as a processing aid and binder in paints and inks. In addition, they can also act as tackifiers for label adhesives. Gum resins have a wide range of industrial applications. For example, the resins can act as binders for paints. Moreover, they can be used to increase the tackiness of wax mixtures, promote wetting during soldering and improve the static friction of bows for stringed instruments.
They are also used in the manufacture of inks, adhesives, rubber, caulking compounds and sealants. They are mostly added to help stabilize a product, increase its adhesiveness or accelerate the drying process
