The invention provides an inexpensive process for isolation of teicoplanin from a fermentation culture of Actinoplanes teichomyceticus in a grade for pharmaceutical application with substantial removal of colours. Applying optimal combination of cation and anion exchange techniques together with further improved purification affords a unique decoloured teicoplanin material. According to some embodiments, the glycopeptide antibiotic is eluted from the ion exchange column at a pH from 5 to below 9.
