Non-Toxic Plant Dyes 

We’re Going Toxic-Free: Non-Toxic Plant Dyes 

After transitioning out of the synthetic and into the organic fashion world, our brand chose to focus through a natural-only lens when determining the materials used to create each handmade product from scratch. Textile dyes are one of the most important factors of our clothing production process, so we’ve taken great measures on how we can use them in a toxic-free way. 

As a small brand, we wholeheartedly believe in making an impact on the world by positively uplifting the state of the environment. As we continue designing our authentically handcrafted products, we consider a multitude of components that would either help or hurt our world and avoid those that would hurt. By refraining from any contribution to toxicity, we are truly advancing ourselves in the fashion industry. 

BeachCandy Swimwear has discovered a range of differences between both chemical and natural dyes. As a brand, we have made a huge transition to going eco-friendly and organic based on research. After conducting research, we found that the environmental and health benefits that come from non-toxic plant dyes ultimately support a part of our decision to go organic fashion. 

Also read: How to Detox Your Wardrobe.

Toxic vs. Natural Dyes 

To have a more clear understanding on each form of dye, we can lay out the differences between what a toxic or natural dye offers. The following information below will show both pros and cons of what each form of dye offers if implemented in production. 

Toxic Dyes 

Pros: 

  • Reliable and uniform colors

  • Cost-effective 

  • Color choice is achievable 

Cons: 

  • Hurts the environment 

  • Dangerous for human health (causes major health issues – especially when using toxic mordants)

  • Water waste becomes full of chemicals and pollutes the ocean, lakes, and rivers 

As one can tell, toxic dyes can accumulate several pros and cons when used in the production process. However, the negative results that come from the use of toxic dyes are more significant and outweigh the positives. Although synthetic dyes offer benefits for the short-run, the long-term effects are significantly damaging as a result of the environmental and health aspects of the world. 

Although the pros of using toxic dyes are better in a business sense, our brand looks past the cheap and “effectiveness” that it somewhat offers. We recognize that toxic chemicals should not be used when developing clothing pieces that humans will come into contact with on a daily basis. Using toxic dyes may ignite allergic reactions, illnesses, and other health issues that should not occur due to the sole dye color of one’s clothing. 

Cheap and chemical dye materials will undoubtedly hurt the world on a larger scale when compared to natural dyes which have biodegradable and compostable qualities. The pros of synthetic dyes are truly desirable when it comes to the production process for any product. However, the negative qualities that are bound with it are inescapable. These are all aspects that we took into consideration as we processed the advantages and disadvantages that may come from the use of chemical dyes. 

3 pieces of cloth dyed with organic plant dyes.
Image by Freepik

Natural Dyes

Pros:

  • Sustainable and ethical 

  • Preserves the environment

  • Safe use for Human health 

  • Biodegradable 

  • Easy to extract color naturally – fruits, plants, nuts, flowers, etc. 

  • High UV absorption

Cons: 

  • Expensive 

  • Color results will vary depending on different factors 

  • Clothing color can change over time due to natural instances – sweat, sun, air, etc.

After assessing the pros and cons of natural dyes, one will come to the conclusion that using natural dye in products is the better choice. Natural plant dyes offer qualities that synthetic dyes will never be able to achieve. 

The sustainability and ethical aspects that plant based dyes have are on the better side of materials for our planet in every way imaginable. The use of non-toxic dyes are safer to use during and after production as they don’t outwardly emit any negative chemicals which can recklessly damage the environment and human health. 

From start to finish, natural dyes are the cleanest way to use vibrant colors in any newly designed and created product. Their heavy advantages in terms of biodegradable, environmental preservation, and easily extractable qualities make up for any cons that they ensue. Natural dyes are the better option against the synthetic and toxic dye direction. 

Naturally dyed products will have unavoidable benefits that will truly help ease our world filled with toxicity. The cons of natural dyes really don’t amount to the value that they present to our world of synthetic materials that we’ve unfortunately been accustomed to. 

3 strips of fabric partially dyed and handing from clothes pins
Image by Freepik

The Dye Process

In addition to using natural-based dyes, our brand looks to implement other eco-friendly materials that play a role in the dye process. Most, if not all, ingredients that are used during this process are strictly natural and organic. 

During the dye bath process, reactive dyes are used to ensure that the dye stays in place. There are multiple types of reactive dyes including chemically-based ones. Any source of chemicals is to be avoided at all costs, so we prefer using eco-friendly ingredients such as fiber reactive dyes. This fiber reactive is a very soft impact dye which has low impact on the environment. 

We choose to stay away from anything that will damage and initially defeat the purpose of an all-organic route to our products’ production process. 

Another ingredient that we use during the natural dye process is cream of tartar. In natural dye, this ingredient acts as a color changer in the dye bath which allows us the opportunity to change colors to what we see fit for our products. This will shift any color to more bright and radiant colors acting as a toner for clothing dye. 

BeachCandy’s Movement Toward Natural Dyes 

BeachCandy Swimwear has now shifted toward organic natural dyes; plants being used as one of the main forms of dye for our products. Since the launch of our newest organic collection, we have initiated new forms of creating our products from organic fabrics and textiles to non-toxic and natural plant, fruit, and seed dyes. 

By using organic materials in every step that we take as a business, we are utilizing the world’s natural resources that are meant for us to create, design, and extract from in a planet-friendly and ethically conscious way. Our brand wants to shape and inspire a new way of life. We hope to readjust away from the tradition of using heavily chemical-based materials within any product production that we process. 

We have implemented a variety of beautiful colors of natural dyes onto our new organic products. The dye colors that have been used are red dyes, yellow dyes, blue dyes, brown dyes, and black dyes where each plays a distinct colorful role on our newest organic swimsuit and clothing pieces. 

Now we are inspired to work in contributing back to the world by using natural modes of production. From the fabrics to the dyes, we are motivated to use organic measures that will hopefully preach to the world that our planet cries for a better way of treating it back. We have enough toxicity, overconsumption, and pollution issues to worry about. Large companies who have neglected the environmental condition of the world have caused such problems due to a lack of sympathy for the planet. 

BeachCandy wants to move away from the cause of the problem and start to be the contribution to the solution.Join our journey to turn the world around and preserve it. Change is a choice and that’s a choice we are willing to make to truly make the world a better place. 

Read more about our transition to going organic here: As We Transition To Organic Fashion... 

Written by Hannah Eltounsy

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