Yes, we talk about why natural dyes are good for the environment and the people wearing them, but we often fail to discuss how natural dyes are suitable for fabrics and textiles.
It helps the fabric from damaging itself with chemical dyes.
We are taking care of the fabric that gives us clothes, home decors, accessories etc. But, until we preserve the quality of the materials, we won't make a difference in our sustainable development even if we start using sustainable products because the textile will eventually fade off or tear off. Then, we'll have to buy a new product, leading to over consumption when not required and when we can prevent it.
Natural dyes for fabrics are one of the best ways to preserve these textiles. As the product and ingredients are used and derived from nature, it doesn't harm the fabric and hence doesn't harm the environment.
It preserves the fabric's quality, texture, feel and sturdiness.
Natural dyes on fabrics not only prove to be advantageous for the materials but also gives the wearers various advantages:
- Miscellaneous Colours: As nature surrounds us with its various beautiful shades, it also provides us with those stunning colours, occupied with natural dyeing on fabrics. It offers us multiple opportunities for colours to dye fabrics. Each natural dye gives us subtle and harmonious shades, which synthetic dyes fail to do. These colours are "alive", and the best part is one plant, or one ingredient can give you various shades.
- Suitable for Skin: Let us admit, no one can compromise on their skin, be it even for nature, so what better than having something that protects our environment and our skin too? Too good to be true?! Natural dyes on fabrics are suitable for sensitive skin due to their natural properties and no use of chemicals. As they do not contain any harmful products, they are ideal for all skin types and especially the most sensitive ones, such as babies.
- Medicinal properties: It is known by all that our nature contains many medicinal properties. Many have used nature to create Ayurvedic medicines and natural pastes to cure diseases, burns, and viruses throughout history. In addition, 80% of dyeing plants have medicinal virtues. So, imagine if nature contains such good medicinal properties, how well does it transfer those properties when used for creating natural dyes? When we use natural dyes for naturally dyeing the fabrics, it gives them certain benefits, such as antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties. So, why not ditch the chemicals and go natural?
- Biodegradable Ingredients: The ingredients used in creating natural dyes are 100% biodegradable; hence the natural dyes on fabric don't harm the environment. The origin of chemical dyes comes from petroleum; it degrades our environment. The water waste from synthetic dyes is discharged and drained directly into the rivers or streams around the factories.
- Protection from UV Rays: Natural dyes protect the skin from UV rays. Natural dyes on fabrics offer better UV absorption; thus, by wearing naturally dyed clothing, you can better protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. Furthermore, the darker the natural dye shade, the better it protects the skin from UV rays. For example, one can go for textiles dyed with Indigo and Madder.
With all these benefits, natural dyes also make us meet some people working towards protecting the environment in this world where the fashion industry is drowning with waste pollution.
The dyers take of the fabrics, the fibres of the textile and hence us.
Natural dyeing on fabrics is challenging for the dyers, yet the dyers work on it to provide one of the best natural, sustainable and eccentric products of all time.
So, why use chemicals on fabrics when natural dyes can work better in every way.