The problem is compounded by the fact that textile factories in foreign countries often have few if any workplace safety regulations, so many workers do not wear protective gloves or even shoes in high chemical areas, and some even eat lunch in the middle of polluted factories.2 Since most textile demand is in Western countries and most dye factories are in poorer parts of China, Bangladesh and India, our desire for fast fashion is literally poisoning the already impoverished. That doesn’t mean, however, that textile workers in the U.S. don’t face risks too. Even in nations with stricter safety regulations, workers who deal with chemical dyeing face an elevated risk of cancer.3
At Sustain, we want no part in this cycle of destruction. Our dyes are 100% natural, non-toxic, and made from plants and insects. After all, it’s much easier to provide safe conditions from workers when they are dyeing with plants like marigold as opposed to compounds we can’t pronounce the names of. Additionally, dyeing with natural ingredients protects our water – our "waste" water is “polluted” with residual plant nutrients and vitamins, so it’s actually beneficial for plants or irrigation downstream. That’s much better than toxic sludge, wouldn’t you say?
1 “Toxic Sludge Irrigating Fields for 20 Years,” The Tribune (April 7, 2009).