AMSTERDAM, April 9 — Is the fashion industry ready to return to sustainable dyes? Widely used before the synthetic dye revolution of the 19th century, natural dyes have recently made a tentative comeback in fashion, despite their questionable resistance and quality. The global initiative Fashion for Good is now addressing this issue with the launch of a pilot digital tool designed to increase the use of ecological dyes.

Harmful to living beings, as well as to the environment, the artificial dyes used to color clothes in the fashion industry can be particularly hazardous sources of pollution. Although European regulations are some of the strictest on the subject, some countries where these dyes are manufactured—such as China and Bangladesh—are not subject to the same directives, and suffer the full force of this pollution. This can be seen in many rivers and streams in China, into which wastewater from chemical factories is discharged, with harmful consequences for inhabitants of the area.

In light of the climate emergency and the urgent need to act, some in the sector have begun to look to more sustainable dyes, especially those created from fruit, vegetables, plants and even food waste. But these are often deemed to be less resistant and hard-wearing than synthetic options. This has prompted the global initiative Fashion for Good to launch a pilot project to help accelerate "the shift from harmful chemistry to more sustainable options.” This project takes the form of a Dyestuff Library, which will allow Fashion for Good’s partners "to choose sustainable dyestuff based on competitive performance and environmental metrics for commercial use.”

Access to innovations

Alternative dyes made from natural sources are the focus of much attention in the fashion industry right now. However, "the lack of clarity on their performance” makes the transition to their use difficult on a large scale. Through this pilot digital tool, which takes the form of a library of sustainable dyes and pigments, Fashion for Good intends to offer the entire industry greater "visibility” and better "access to innovations.” All of this is supported by the partners of the global initiative, including adidas, Inditex, Otto International, Bestseller, Target, Patagonia and Paradise Textiles.

"The shift towards a more sustainable industry happens when we share existing knowledge and give access to innovations with one another. Collaboration, not competition, will allow the industry to truly transform. We are excited for the launch of our Dyestuff Library project, which will make an extensive library for the entire industry to use,” said managing director at Fashion for Good, Katrin Ley, in a statement.

More concretely, this project will submit 15 sustainable dyes to laboratory and pilot trials for a whole year. The goal is to ensure their quality, compliance, and non-toxicity, with a view to commercialisation. These experiments will give the industry access to information about the best performing eco-friendly dyes and allow for further testing.

"We need dyeing innovation that focuses on less wasteful practices, reduces water usage and is less energy consuming. To reach this, it is essential that the fashion industry supports initiatives with an upscaling perspective so new solutions can reach a commercial level,” adds Camilla Skjønning Jørgensen, innovation manager at Bestseller, one of Fashion for Good’s partners. — ETX Studio