Why you should scrap chemical dyes

This one has been on my mind for a while. Approximately 10-15% of dyes do not bind to fibres, meaning they are washed away into our waters. During the dyeing process an average t-shirt will use 16-20 litres of water, and on average, the global textile industry discharges 40,000 – 50,000 tons of dye into the water system. Not only do dyes pollute our waters, but they also pollute our skin. Did you know that our skin is actually an organ, and it's the largest one we have? Believe it or not, but our skin absorbs whatever it touches, and i mean everything. If droplets of sweat can seep out of our pores, chemicals can slide right back into them- i suffer with contact dermatitis, so if i have to be super careful with what i touch; this includes washed clothing and bedding too, as the chemical detergents adhere to fibres.

There is no safe way to dispose of chemical dyes, and the laws and legislations around the 'dumping' of them is not up to high standards.

Perhaps it is because natural dyeing has given me such solace that i feel so passionately about this issue, but if you do your research, i'm sure you'll understand more about the god awful problematic side of artificial colours.

If you haven't seen my fabrics and yarns, then please check them out and perhaps you'll be swayed more towards plant dye... I was honestly shocked when i found out that you can create a rainbow with just plants! The first time i tried natural dyeing, i was greeted only with soft and pale colours- i was under the impression that natural dyes were weak, and could never give bold primary colours, oh how wrong i was! Since experimenting some more, i've achieved an absolute sea of colour, and learnt so much on the way.

Dyeing with plants is a long process, but man is it worth the time and effort. It's so rewarding, and so many happy accidents occur when you least expect it. Chemical dyes have practically zero work, ethic, time or technique, which i feel really disassociates the designer from their work. It is not a hand made colour, nor hand grown, nor hand picked. Connecting with the colour is a really special feeling, add adds such depth and dedication on the makers behalf.

So why not take advantage of your food waste, and add some colour to your dull white scarf, or perhaps freshen up an old faded t shirt using some onion skins. The world is your oyster!

A small disclaimer - I have nothing against small businesses using chemical dyes if it keeps their business afloat, i am talking more about big brands and larger factories who create oceans of pollution.