Natural Dyes and Sustainability

Natural dyes offer a time-tested and generally more sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes in the textile industry. The issues surrounding synthetic dyes are well-known, and in the literature it is generally accepted that natural dyes have a smaller environmental impact. However, even natural dyes have issues that must be dealt with in order to ensure sustainability in the industry. For example, the mordants needed to improve the dyeing process may release hazardous heavy metal pollutant...