Fabric dyeing: the biggest pollution problem in the fashion industry
The chemicals, the waste of water, etc. There are many problems that it poses, and some solutions that are already being worked on
The contrasts, the bicolor effect, the coordinates, the color block. The use of color is fundamental to our personal expression. But with dyeing techniques, which contribute so much to the climate crisis, our love of color will make the world a much duller place, unless things change quickly. “We need to change the whole picture of the industry,” says Michael Stanley-Jones, co-secretary of the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion. He is one of eight experts who share their vision with Vogue about what is being done to address the art of dyeing in fashion. Here are the five key problems, plus some potential solutions.

© Allison Joyce / Getty Images
1. Problem: Waste of water
On a global scale, the textile industry uses six to nine thousand billion liters of water each year just for dyeing fabrics. At a time when all continents are facing water shortage problems, it would be like filling more than two million Olympic swimming pools every year with fresh water, and then not allowing anyone to swim in them. (Not that you want to swim in the toxic water of a dye mill, though.)
Possible solution: Bio-inspired materials
“I think there is a lack of diversity around how two knowledge systems can create something new,” says Natsai Audrey Chieza, designer and founder of the creative bio-design agency Faber Futures. Chieza is one of the leading voices in the growing biodesign movement, which integrates living things like bacteria into new materials, products, and even artwork. “The work of design and science combined is about bringing together two different ways of knowing and doing, in order to address a problem.
Chieza creates opportunities for collaboration between creatives and scientists on “planet-centered” products and systems. Working with Ginkgo Bioworks, his team recently discovered that a pigment-producing microbe can be used as a clothing dye. The color ranges from pink to blue, depending on the pH of the soil in which it is found, and creates a beautiful dyeing effect on the fabric. Also crucial is the fact that it uses 500 times less water than standard dyeing techniques, and completely eliminates harmful chemicals. “If you are more creative with natural materials, or in this case in design with living systems, you can make something very special,” says Chieza, “you can get something completely different.

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2. Problem: Chemicals
Nearly three-quarters of the water consumed by the dye mills ends up as non-potable waste – a toxic soup of dyes, salts, alkalis, heavy metals and chemicals that are used to fix color to our clothes. “Some of the chemicals used in Indian dye shops are, in fact, banned in Europe. A dilemma for those of us who wear imported clothing,” says Virginia Lewis, senior policy analyst for WaterAid. Filtering wastewater is also expensive, and at dyeing centers in Bangladesh, India, and China, it is often discharged into rivers illegally, resulting in an acidic discharge of color. (Once in Mumbai, the water became so polluted that local dogs turned completely blue after swimming.) ) “These chemicals in the wastewater can affect the local ecosystem, or the people who use the water for fishing, washing or even drinking,” explains Laila Petrie, WWF’s global leader in textiles and cotton. “They can harm plants and animals, and potentially enter the food chain.
Possible solution: Dyes made from by-products
The biotechnology company Colorfix seeks to promote fabric dyes that are sustainable on three fronts: environmental, social and economic. Established in 2015, the company converts molasses – the by-product of sugar – into dyes that can be used to dye textiles. The method does not require additional use of arable land (unlike some natural dyes), but can be applied in areas where sugar is already grown. Colorfix also replaces fixation chemicals – the most toxic aspect of the dyeing process – with the by-products of biofuels, which co-founder and CEO Dr. Orr Yarkoni explains are a primary crop, with a positive environmental function. Reusing waste materials “means the entire process uses 10 times less water, and 20% less energy.

3. Problem: The risk of unemployment
Dye shops offer a vital source of employment and income in emerging economies – 81 percent of Bangladesh’s export economy, for example, is exclusively ready-made garments. Women, who represent about 80 percent of the global apparel workforce, are at greater risk of being affected by any systemic changes or by products that are not carefully analyzed. Therefore, it is crucial that biodesign includes materials that do not cause mass unemployment.
Possible solution: State intervention
“Any radical change can have an enormously negative impact if not planned properly,” says Yarkoni, noting that Colorfix has only replaced the dye itself, and no jobs or machines. In Jones’ opinion, too much reliance is being placed on technicians, like Yarkoni, to solve the climate crisis. “The only option for real change depends on whether we quickly share the innovations that work and implement them more quickly. Everyone must have access to the same information, and technologies,” says Jones. In his role for the UN, Jones helps coordinate different climate projects and actions by member governments, agencies and partners. It is only through this integrated approach, he says, that the right kind of incentives, investments, and legislation can be addressed globally; creating systemic change. “It is not only science and technology that we need to save ourselves,” explains Jones, “we also need unified action from the societies and governments of the world.

© Dirk Renckhoff / Alamy Stock Photo
4. Problem: Programmed consumerism
The difficulty with sustainability is that it is a term that encompasses many different issues. So while it’s great to hear a fashion brand advocate low-impact dyeing, it’s useless if the product is then discarded, or if the supply chain turns out to be exploitative. The linear approach of ‘take, consume, destroy’ has existed for centuries and it seems to be a challenge for companies to break with this tradition to influence change.
Possible solution: A circular economy
Supported by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the idea of a circular economy contemplates products that are designed and optimized for a continuous cycle of recycling. If collected globally, it would be the biggest change in human consumption since the industrial revolution. BITE is one example – a luxury brand of women’s clothing with an aesthetic based entirely on a range of natural dyes. “The use of natural dyes is a way to communicate a deeper sense of product and consumer awareness,” explains Creative Director Elliot Atkinson. Dyes are only one crucial aspect of BITE’s sustainable goal. “We plan to buy back customers’ collectibles, give them a 20 percent discount on their next purchase, and then create new garments from previous stock,” explains BITE’s Chief Operating Officer, Veronika Kant. The idea is to create a circular system, redesigning, reusing and reselling the clothes. “We want to create a real connection between the customer and the garment,” explains Kant.

© Nicole Esteres
5. Problem: Producing natural dyes on a larger scale
Natural dyes are more environmentally friendly than synthetic ones, but they are not a foolproof solution for mass production. Because they are difficult to obtain, they may require heavy metals to fix the color, and often require arable land for planting.
Possible solution: Reviving artisanal techniques
Since the introduction of synthetic processes during the 1960s, knowledge about natural dyeing has been reduced to the point of extinction – but the climate crisis has prompted many artisans to rescue ancient techniques. “The colors that come from plants go beyond beauty, the dyes are connected to a living being, to a superior knowledge and wisdom,” says Mexican textile artist Porfirio Gutiérrez. Based in Oaxaca, his family is working on a book that brings together thousands of years of “word-of-mouth” techniques, (cochinillas for reds, tree moss for golds, pomegranate for blacks), for a wider audience. But, although he is a passionate educator, Gutierrez does not believe that natural dyes are scalable in a sustainable way. “I don’t think multinationals should switch to natural dyes,” he says. “Natural dyes were never intended for the mass market, they are for clothing and personal expression. And while the most sustainable form of self-expression would be to dye and make our own clothes, it’s good to know that bio-design could also have our backs. “Right now, we are forced to choose between style and sustainability, which has weakened what nature had to offer us,” Chieza adds. “Working with nature, rather than taking something away from it, is how we can really innovate.
SOURCE: VOGUE