Natural Dyes: What They Are and Where to Find Them

Natural dyes are gaining momentum in the fashion industry; due to growing concerns about ecologically safe clothing production, more and more brands are turning to natural dyes in order to create a more ethical product. 

So what are they, what is the point, and where can we find them? 

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Producing textiles uses a lot of water. The ratio of water to fabric is about 200:1; that is, for every ton of fabric produced, 200 tons of water are used. When fabrics are dyed with artificial dyes that contain toxic chemicals, those chemicals get into the water used in the production process, then that water is dumped back into natural bodies of water, polluting them. These chemicals are often toxic and carcinogenic. Per the documentary RiverBlue, over 70% of rivers in China are polluted, largely due to textile and clothing production. Additionally, a study conducted by the World Bank on the textile industry found that fabric dyeing accounts for 17-20% of industrial water pollution.

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For these reasons, many eco-conscious brands are turning to natural dyes, in addition to numerous other environmentally conscious actions, in order to produce safe, ethical clothing. 

Natural dyes come from organic products that naturally emit color. These dyes are usually plant based, derived from leaves, flowers, roots, seeds, tree bark, and a variety of other sources, though they can also be  made from mineral compounds or even insects. Some examples of color sources are turmeric, which creates a rich, bright yellow; beetroot, a deep red; avocado peels, which, surprisingly, can produce a pink color; henna, which comes in various reds and browns; indigo, which, not shockingly, is indigo; and onion skins, which can fall anywhere between maroon and yellow. 

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Supernuturae, created by designer Benedicte Lux, is a label that creates small batch, unique dresses using natural dyes in Mexico and hand embroidered dresses in India. They describe their mission as concentrated on slow fashion, natural textile methods and research. Supernaturae aims to create high quality, collectors pieces meant to be passed down through generations. Made from handwoven silk, their naturally dyed dresses are stunningly bright and timeless, with locally sourced dyes.

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Another brand using natural dyed silk is Ziran. They use the xiang yun sha silk method, which involves dyeing the silk with Chinese yams and coating the fabric in mud numerous times in order to achieve a soft, wrinkle-resistant textile. Their clothing is simple and beautiful, from chic, slinky silk dresses to cool, utilitarian tops and bottoms made using repurposed vintage clothing and silk. 

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If you are looking for naturally dyed denim, Triarchy and MUDJeans are both solid options. Denim production can be especially harmful to the environment, so if you are going to opt for any staple to be ethically produced and naturally dyed, it probably ought to be your jeans. MUD Jeans use recycled cotton, and allow you to either lease or buy their jeans. Either way, you send them back when you are done with them, and MUD Jeans either upcycles them or recycles the fabric to create the next product. Triarchy similarly creates some, though not all, of their products using recycled or upcycled denim. Those that are made from new cotton are ethically sourced and produced. 

Miranda Bennet is another great brand for simple, chic silk clothing. Their beautiful, loose blouses and flowy silk pants are made with a mission of zero waste and circularity. The brand has products that are made using scraps from other designs in order to maintain zero waste. 

Courtesy of Miranda Bennet

Finally, for loungewear and basics, California Cloth Foundry and Harvest & Mill. These brands use soft cotton and naturally sourced materials to create sweatshirts, tee shirts, sweatpants, underwear, socks and more. 

The bottom line is that most of these brands do a lot more than just using natural dye to offset their effect on the environment. Some of them claim to be completely carbon neutral, to use less water, and to use local products. They produce less waste and use less energy. Whether natural dyes are a priority to you or not, researching the sustainability of a brand and opting for the environmentally safer option might, hopefully, encourage less ethical brands to step up their game.