Revival of Indian natural dyes techniques for sustainable practices

Dyeing process, from CCD-NL Archives 

History of Indian natural dyes

India offers a vast array of natural dyes due to its varied topography and climatic conditions. Natural dye knowledge and applications in textiles date back to Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley circa 1100 BC. The early discovery of natural colors and dyes has a profound impact on society, spirituality, beliefs and religious practices. Additionally, this resulted in a rise in awareness, an influx of commercial activities and exponential growth in trade with countries like Greece and Egypt. Indian textiles were prized for their exquisite designs and brilliant colors, as well as their high quality which kept the color of the fabric fixed. Shades of blue were extracted from indigo, yellow from turmeric or saffron, red and burgundy from manjistha (madder) and Indian mulberry, charcoal coal color from iron filling and so on. But as the demand for dyes kept on increasing, the supply of natural dyes were limited. The British rule then introduced synthetic dyes which eventually led to decline of natural dyes.

In current times, the synthetic dye industry has completely eradicated natural dyes. Synthetically dyed textiles have become increasingly popular due to their affordability, style, ease of availability, and reduced need for land and labor. People were able to purchase, accumulate and discard clothing more frequently as a result of the fast-fashion movement, which created a number of environmental problems.

Understanding emergence of slow fashion movements

Growing awareness of the negative effects fast fashion movements have on the environment and garment workers has led to a growing demand for slow fashion movements, which are a direct response to these issues. To understand this slow fashion, one needs to recognize that it is ethical and sustainable. The clothing is made with fewer or no hazardous chemicals and generates less waste in comparison to fast-fashion. A facet of slow fashion may involve the creation of clothing using eco-friendly or natural material like natural dyes. 

Understanding natural dyes

Natural dyes are a type of colorant that is considered environmentally friendly because they are produced using less water and other chemicals through processes involving plants, mineral, insects or biotechnology. For example, applying plant-based colour to natural fabrics like cotton indicates a more sustainable approach and organically results in subtle to vibrant colours in your fabrics! In addition to being environmentally friendly, they also empower local communities and promotes ethical practices. How? This is because of the fact that natural dyes are sourced locally, supporting local artisan, farmers and economies supporting short-supply chains. The value of land used for agriculture and forestry will also rise, reducing ecological harm along the entire value chain. What are other benefits?! Indeed, clothing dye from natural colours is a safe choice for our skin. This means that they provide UV protection, are allergic and anti-septic, making breathing easier and causing fewer skin irritations! 

After considering environmental and social aspects, we need to know the economic aspects in order to improve our financial decision-making. 

For instance, compared to synthetic dyes, natural dyes are still in early stages in the textile industry, meaning that their supply is restricted to just 1% of global demand. As a result, there is a large margin for business opportunities, which will soon be taken advantage of. This will ultimately improve supply-side by lowering production cost, making them more affordable than synthetic ones and generating additional employment opportunities.

General tip

Although natural dyed fabrics are still expensive, we as a consumer can limit and stop buying synthetic dyed clothes to save it for few but future sustainable shopping. In this way, we are also reducing the amount of stuff we buy and the amount of clothes we own. Instead, in order to promote the reuse principle, we should declutter our wardrobes by donating used clothing to thrift stores. Finally, as we identified that business opportunities are large especially for small and medium scale businesses then you can also start your own initiative! How?!

Get yourself acquainted with natural dyes and textile industries.

Connect with local people who are already involved in this line of area.

Do your own research and get inspiration from us!

What do we do at CCD-NL?

At CCD-NL, we aim to preserve our culture, art and creativity through our dynamic projects and events to build sustainable world. We understand the power of culture in building positive, inclusive and more tolerant world. As a result, initiatives like “lab of Ikat” aim to revive traditional weaving artisans and craftsmanship methods and they also work with Dutch designers to embrace customs and knowledge. To know more about our projects and visions, please visit this link!

Stay tuned for more such blogs.

Sources: 

Symons.F.2023).What is slow fashion? Oxfam Blog. https://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam-in-action/oxfam-blog/what-is-slow-fashion/#:~:text=Slow%20fashion%20is%20the%20opposite,kinder%20to%20people%20and%20planet. 

Nizzoli .G. (2024). Are natural dyes in fashion sustainable? Project CECE. https://www.projectcece.com/blog/632/are-natural-dyes-in-fashion-sustainable/ 

The Garland Magazine (2023). Transforming the landscape into color: India’s natural dyes. https://garlandmag.com/indias-natural-dyes/