Fashion Manufacturing (Bleaching, Dyeing, Finishing)
By: Aarushi Taneja and Anushuwa Banerjee
Shopping sustainably for clothing is becoming growingly difficult. Not only is there a lack of transparency in the manufacturing process itself, large and accessible retailers are notoriously involved in cost cutting processes that also impact the safety and sustainability of products. For example, several manufacturers utilise toxic chemicals to dye and bleach their clothing, while also inappropriately discharging the waste they produce into water bodies and ecosystems. This process is known as “wet processing” in the manufacturing lifecycle stage for clothing - its name takes after the water intensive procedures used, such as bleaching and dyeing. Needless to say, wet processing is hazardous to consumers, workers, and the environment. In fact, chemicals identified near dyehouse water bodies are implicated in several poor health outcomes, such as cancer, asthma, skin irritation, and lung irritation. Therefore, it is essential to implement solutions that empower consumers to buy products they know are safe, and increase the transparency in the fashion manufacturing process. Not only should solutions decrease the demand for toxic chemicals in the long run, but they should also provide an immediate protective effect on the consumer end.
One possible solution to implement is promoting the use of sustainable dye alternatives. Colorifix dyes is an innovative company that studies dyes and pigments that occur naturally in plants and animals. It then attempts to replicate the gene codes responsible for such colours, and produce pigments that can also be applied to clothing. This method eliminates the need for using many toxic chemicals that are often used in synthetic industrial dyes. Brands like H&M have been able to adopt this at a large scale, as it requires little investment because original dyeing equipment can be used.
Another issue in the fashion manufacturing sphere is the reliance of large companies on the poor environmental regulations of countries in the Global South, to which they often outsource their wet processing to. These include countries like India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Less strict regulations can allow dyehouses to use chemicals that are considered harmful to human health and the environment. Bluesign Labels is a company which acts as a third party consultant, and audits various processes by doing chemical and waste assessments. After assuring that companies are meeting a higher health and environmental standard, they are authorised to use a “bluesign label” on the products they are selling. This solution can be used to help consumers understand what regulations and rules a company is following, and be assured that they are being held to a higher standard. Furthermore, it pushes producers in a more sustainable direction, and provides ready-made standards and frameworks, which eliminates the educational barrier companies may be lacking.
One possible solution to implement is promoting the use of sustainable dye alternatives. Colorifix dyes is an innovative company that studies dyes and pigments that occur naturally in plants and animals. It then attempts to replicate the gene codes responsible for such colours, and produce pigments that can also be applied to clothing. This method eliminates the need for using many toxic chemicals that are often used in synthetic industrial dyes. Brands like H&M have been able to adopt this at a large scale, as it requires little investment because original dyeing equipment can be used.
Another issue in the fashion manufacturing sphere is the reliance of large companies on the poor environmental regulations of countries in the Global South, to which they often outsource their wet processing to. These include countries like India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Less strict regulations can allow dyehouses to use chemicals that are considered harmful to human health and the environment. Bluesign Labels is a company which acts as a third party consultant, and audits various processes by doing chemical and waste assessments. After assuring that companies are meeting a higher health and environmental standard, they are authorised to use a “bluesign label” on the products they are selling. This solution can be used to help consumers understand what regulations and rules a company is following, and be assured that they are being held to a higher standard. Furthermore, it pushes producers in a more sustainable direction, and provides ready-made standards and frameworks, which eliminates the educational barrier companies may be lacking.
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