Comments on: Natural Dyes: Are they a viable alternative to synthetics?

By: lawi isa

lawi isa — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:06:59 +0000

iam currently conducting a research on vat dyes and all indications of y research including acute toxicity studies on earthworm and spectrophotomery analysis of heavy metals has shown that vat dyes are extremly toxic to soil organisms and man.

By: Oh colour… « Kiwiyarns Knits

Oh colour… « Kiwiyarns Knits — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:54:13 +0000

[...] decided to research this topic and found some very interesting sites – Greencottonblog and Natural-Environment.com are two that I particularly liked. I also came across a large number [...]

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:10:43 +0000

From greencotton Brit write:
“Are Dyed Clothes Safe to Wear?

The dye on a finished garment, by it’s nature, is chemically stable – that’s what makes a dye color fast. However, research is emerging that examines the short and long term effects of potential skin absorption of dye and finishing chemicals through clothing. The CNN report October 2007 which Shana wrote about on Green Cotton, revealed that new testing procedures (chemical burden testing) reveal that young babies and children actually do have increased levels of chemicals in their bloodstream and skin. Because clothing comes into prolonged contact with one’s skin, toxic chemicals are often absorbed into the skin, especially when one’s body is warm and skin pores have opened to allow perspiration. We also know that some individuals have what is known as chemical sensitivity, including when exposed to garments of many types. http://www.chemicalsensitivityfoundation.org/ Symptoms in adults for chemical sensitivity range from skin rashes, headaches, trouble concentrating, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, irregular heart beat, and/or seizures. Symptoms in children include red cheeks and ears, dark circles under the eyes, hyperactivity, and behavior or learning problems. See Lotusorganics.com for more information.

Dyes are complex chemicals, and as anyone who’s washed a red shirt with a white shirt knows, they don’t stay put forever.

Why Are Synthetic Dyes So Harmful?

Dyes are so problematic because the families of chemical compounds that make good dyes are also toxic to humans. Each new synthetic dye developed is a brand new compound, and because it’s new, no-one knows it’s risks to humans and the environment.

By: Shana

Shana — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:58:15 +0000

Thanks, Ricardo – its nice to hear from someone who is doing the dying as part of their work. I could not agree with you more. We still do not know all the side effects or downsides of using synthetics (so much more to be studied). Better to lean on the traditions of natural dying which have existed throughout human civilzations for thousands of years.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:39:00 +0000

In ecotintes we don’t use chromiun, cooper, tin, or other dangerous mordants. Indeed not everything natural is good. But if we compare step by step from manufacturing, industrial use and consumer benefits, natural and synthetic dyes I can tell on a scale of 10, which describe synthetic dyes with 4 against the natural dyes who may be at 7. If tomorrow you find that the sugar cane has a small problem, why change it with a synthetic sweetener, without wondering how many problems have drawbacks. Without wondering how many problems do?.

By: HALIMA WARSI

HALIMA WARSI — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:52:43 +0000

Dear Sir,

I want to use the yellow color from the turmeric in my pharmaproducts but unable to stabilize it

By: Dorothy

Dorothy — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 16:38:05 +0000

your article helped me in my research work.thank you.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:18:10 +0000

I like natural dyes because it provides a source of income.

http://viewsatfiles.blogspot.com

By: Publius

Publius — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:04:38 +0000

I was impressed with the honesty in your blog. It is much more complicated than natural is good.

By: Sarah Bellos

Sarah Bellos — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:26:09 +0000

Thanks for a great article! My sisters and I run ASK Apparel, a Nashville based business that does all of our printing, handpainting and natural dyeing in house and organic cotton and on silk. In our past three years in business, we have found natural dyes to create an incredible array of vibrant colors that if dyed correctly can be both wash fast and fashionable! Our techniques include katazome, a Japanese paste resist technique of handpainting with natural dyes and a soymilk binder, as well as our own hand pulled silkscreen process with natural dyes.

We have been growing organic natural dye plants for use in our business for the past two years and are looking forward to working with local sustainable farmers next year to make natural dye plants more available regionally. As the local and organic agriculture movement grows, there is a need there is a need to move beyond food into fibers and alternative crops to strengthen the regional farm economy and to make localization and import substitution possible for consumers in the US. We believe that by planting the seeds of a regional dye grower cooperative, farmers in the Southeast US will have another outlet to both increase farm environmental sustainability while providing alternative income through value added products such as dye pigments.

It is an incredible thing to think that while we are supporting great fashion and improving our wardrobes we can also be making an enormous difference in the sustainability of regional farmers, artisan dyers, and our local environment. That is certainly a far cry from synthetic chemical spills in Rhode Island and China, elementary school age cotton-pickers in Uzbekistan, and sweatshop labor conditions around the world.

three cheers,
askapparel.com