Investigating the Stability of Organic Materials for Commercial Dyeing

Abstract

Sustainability and environmental ethics are major focuses of future developments in many fields of infrastructure and industry. One of these fields is the industry of garment dyeing. With only a handful of garment dyeing facilities in the country, TS Designs, located in Burlington, North Carolina, has developed a niche clientele and craft of the use of natural materials for use in commercial dyeing. Organic materials have been used in textile dyeing since the very beginning of documented history, but limited research has been done in the translation of these practices to industrial contexts. Natural dye can be derived from organic waste products and is a great way to incorporate eco-friendly methods in the industrial production of clothing. Unfortunately, due to the dyes being made from organic materials, the resulting color of the product may change over time as the material degrades, which is not preferable for the sale of a consistent product. It is important to extract dye from materials as they are available before they degrade in order to reduce waste. The goal of our research is to be able to test the dye stability of organic materials and determine proper practices for preserving each dye extract.