Synthetic dye and its impact on the environment
Since the accidental discovery of the first synthetic dye, mauve, made from charcoal by William Henry Perkins in 1856, the use of natural dyes began to disappear. And why not? Synthetic dyes are more resistant to color, have a broad spectrum of colors that can be easily and accurately reproduced, cost less, and can impart qualities such as wrinkle-free fabric or even have a permanent, modern crease. It seems like a pretty novel invention, but have you ever stopped to think? just what you are wearing does it really harm the environment?
Let’s take a look at the ingredients used to make synthetic dyes. Synthetic dye is usually made from aniline or chromium. While dyes made from aniline are less poisonous than aniline alone, we need to think about how aniline can affect not only the environment, but also the workers involved in the manufacturing process. The toxicity level of aniline is unknown, but it disrupts the process of oxygen distribution in the body. Are we going to allow innocent workers to turn into unsuspecting lab rats by exposing them to a known poisonous compound?
Chromium is easily found in soil, air, and even water, but it is more attracted to soil. Once the soil is contaminated with high levels of chromium, it remains there as chromium does not easily enter the water, so its molecules cannot move once it is in the soil. It keeps. Workers in industries that use chromium have been prone to nasal irritations and are more likely to develop lung and respiratory cancer. Imagine having organic cotton dyed with synthetic dye that has endangered people’s health. That will completely ruin the concept of having an eco-friendly piece of fabric.
During the manufacturing process of such dyes, strong acids, alkalis and solvents are used together with certain heavy metals to obtain a particular compound. In addition to posing a health risk, it also generates a large amount of toxic waste. In addition, they generally need high temperatures to produce a certain compound. For example, when creating a dye known as Mordant Blue 23 in the Color Index, part of its production includes combining some ingredients with sulfur to produce Sulfur Trioxide (S2O3) at a temperature of 1300C. It affects the environment because industries still rely on non-renewable energy sources like oil and coal, especially since most dye factories are located in poorer regions of the world like India and China. With an increased demand for synthetic colorants, a larger carbon footprint will be left in our environment due to the depletion of coal and oil, as well as the fumes emitted.
Even after the dyeing has been completed, there is waste that has a negative impact on the environment. For example, the crushing of materials or the dumping of dry materials into powder; These actions can pollute the air, making it toxic to anyone who breathes it in. Between each batch of processed materials, the equipment must also be cleaned for quality control purposes and this uses a large amount of water. The water removed from this process is unsafe as it contains many chemicals such as the dye itself, traces of intermediate dyes (ingredients that start certain chemical processes), and tiny solids. All of these are highly toxic and to this day, not many companies treat this wastewater properly before disposing of it.
Due to the unavailability of an efficient waste disposal system, cases such as the Fuan textile factory in Guangdong, which mainly deals with the export of textiles from brands such as Gap, Target and Walmart; dumped its dye waste into the Maozhou River, polluting not only a direct water source, but also the groundwater source. Groundwater contamination lasts for many years, endangering the health of the current and future generation. This is just one of many illegal dye waste dumping cases in China; Although it can be difficult to criticize only the dye factories for doing so. US apparel companies, which make up the largest customer base for China’s dye factories, are demanding lower and lower prices, and wastewater is not treated to cut costs to meet demand.
Synthetic dye and various clothing finishes are also known to be a trigger for clothing dermatitis, which is a skin condition that results in an allergic reaction to synthetic dye or any additives in clothing. This is commonly seen in people with thick complexions and / or people who sweat easily and is usually concentrated in the armpits, groin, and waist area. Natural fibers such as angora, cotton, and linen have never caused this condition, although treated or starched cotton can be a trigger.
Betting on natural dyes
Why you should?
So how do we choose clothes that are eco-friendly? The best option would be to go for raw and undyed clothes, but that may seem too drastic. We all need colors in our life. The other solution that can be taken would be to opt for garments dyed naturally. To be fair, natural dye has its share of toxic influences like the mordants used. However, why should we go for natural dyes?
For practical reasons, natural dye would be the optimal choice, as it greatly reduces the risk of skin allergies. Since we constantly have clothes on one part of our body, our skin can absorb any poisonous component of the synthetic dye. These chemical compounds can irritate our skin, causing skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis on clothing.
Babies are extremely susceptible to environmental changes as they are still growing, which makes their cells active enough to absorb any carcinogens from the synthetic dyes in their clothing. With subsequent exposure to such substances, the risk of developing health problems that can last a lifetime increases.
For aesthetic reasons, natural dyeing is a way to reconnect with the roots of your ancestors. Dyeing is an ancient art. In the search for the most modern technology, we still need a memory that reminds us of our roots; And why not with naturally dyed clothes? Naturally dyed clothing has a dazzling array of shades that not only look good, but when faded, they look good too. Any hand-dyed product is far superior compared to its machine-made counterpart because when something is made by hand, the manufacturer would want that product to be their masterpiece. Additionally, naturally dyed material is dyed in small batches that give various shades to the desired dyed color. For example, dyeing a piece of fabric with a natural red dye can make it crimson, vermilion, cochineal red, or rose red. This imparts a feeling of exclusivity to a naturally dyed piece of clothing.
On the bright side, there is only one toxic factor to deal with, which is excess mordant fluid. But unlike the harmful toxic sludge that synthetic dye produces, most mordants are easily neutralized. With proper waste management and an awareness towards conserving our own environment, we will be able to reduce the harmful effects that dyeing has on our environment and continue to wear colorful clothing.
There are challenges in the world of eco dyeing, such as the availability of natural dyes and naturally dyed products. However, as consumers, we must remember that we are in charge of the market and not the other way around. With demand, there is supply. We are the ones who will make the difference. We need to show a high level of eco-consumer awareness not only towards the product itself, but also towards the entire manufacturing process. It may seem like an uphill fight, but the ball is in our court to improve the environment. Starting by wearing naturally dyed clothes is beneficial not only for us, but also for the environment.