Future of Sustainable Dyes and Bio-Based Alternatives or Waterless Dyeing

There is a slew of new technologies making their way into the Dyeing segment, literally transforming the segment into a new-age category, says Satish Panchani.

In recent years, the textile industry has faced growing pressures to lessen its environmental footprint. Especially, the dyeing sector is facing the most significant pressure to reduce its degrading impact on the ecology. As consumers continue to demand responsible practice, two meaningful advancements are beginning to emerge as viable alternatives in the dyeing segment – bio-based and waterless dye technology. These innovations are truly proving to be game-changing for the textile industry.

Why change is mandated?

Textile dyeing in its conventional form uses vast quantities of water and chemicals. Dyeing, printing, and washing in dyeing generate enormous volumes of wastewater. This water contains harmful surfactants and additives, mandating its treatment and bringing additional cost burden to the operational cycles. Traditional wet processes often require high temperatures, large volumes of water and produce substantial effluent. Given the global scale of textiles, this becomes a major sustainability challenge. Conventional synthetic dyes often rely on petrochemical feedstocks and may include hazardous components or by-products. Hence, there is both resource intensity and ecological risk built in. This explains the drive toward a “new textiles economy” that emphasises redesigning processes, materials and chemistry, with special focus on Bio-Based Alternatives or Waterless Dyeing Technologies.

What is changing?

Bio-based dyes refer to colourants derived from renewable biological sources — plants, agricultural waste, microbial fermentation and so on. These promise lower carbon emissions, less reliance on fossil feedstocks, and consequently less toxic impact on the environment. Meanwhile, waterless dyeing technologies eliminate water usage in the dyeing step. Especially in water-scarce geographies, this offers an enormous advantage to stakeholders. Emerging water-efficient dyeing processes claim to use <10 per cent the water of conventional dyeing. In the waterless category of the “solution dyeing”, the entire use of water is eliminated. Various reports estimate that these techniques can reduce water use by up to 75 per cent, chemicals by up to 90 per cent, and CO₂ by up to 30 per cent.

Who gains what?

The advantages of shifting to sustainable dyeing are multifold. From an environmental view, the less water and chemical waste helps the dyeing industry to reduce its impact on the environment. This also helps to lower energy requirements for the dyeing, which, in turn, results in lower emission levels. In the specific case of digital printing, water usage can be brought down to nil, while reductions for electricity, water, and chemicals were around 90%. From a operational standpoint, these new sustainable dyeing techniques offer shorter lead times, less waste, enhanced design, and greater compliance with regulations. These green credentials can be branded as USPs to gain more brand loyalty and wider customer recognition.  Lastly, in areas with water scarcity or high costs for wastewater treatment, reducing water use creates a direct cost-saving and risk reduction opportunity. This is particularly important for textile hubs in the Asian region. 

Challenges and issues

Adoption of sustainable dyeing is not without difficulties. To be adopted, bio-dyes will need to meet high standards of the textile industry – colourfastness, reproducibility, and cost-competitiveness.  While waterless technologies may offer efficiencies in water and energy, they often require capital investment and redesign of existing processes, workforce training, and supply chain partners. Existing operational facilities and machinery may also be resistant to change quickly. Also, while digital printing can deliver significant water and chemicals savings, it may be limited in terms of its present use cases and applications.  Further, challenges existing in the supply chain, cost pressures from fast fashion and the unpredictable economic return can prove to be a deterrent to adoption. Smaller dye houses may lack the capital to go after the technology changes at times without incentives. While all individual efforts (digital print, bio dyeing, waterless dyeing) help change progress, it is the systems change, across the fibre, dye, machine, finishing and logistics system, that will deliver true impact.

Conclusion

The future of dyeing in the textile industry is turning a corner. With bio-based dyes and waterless dyeing technologies gaining scale, the opportunity to decouple colouration from heavy environmental footprints is real. Many firms are stepping up and offering machinery, inks, paper and printing services; these can help accelerate the Sustainable Shift in the Dyeing Category. As the textile ecosystem (apparel brands, manufacturers and dye houses) recognises that reducing water use, chemical load, and energy consumption is not just a regulatory but a business opportunity, we can expect a deeper transformation going forward. The textile value chain will increasingly demand “cleaner colour” — and those who lead now will set the pace for a more sustainable industry in the future.

About the author:

Satish Panchani is the CEO and Co-founder of True Colors Limited, a dynamic company dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the paints and coatings industry. With a visionary approach and over a decade of leadership experience, Satish has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth, fostering a culture of creativity, and delivering premium-quality products that inspire confidence and trust. Under his guidance, True Colors Limited has expanded its market presence and built a strong reputation for customer-centric solutions and environmental responsibility. Satish Panchani continues to lead with passion, integrity, and a commitment to shaping a vibrant, colorful future.