Textile colorants: study of its environmental impact
Research question: How can we make colored fast fashion more sustainable?
- WINNER OF 'INDIA'S BEST DESIGN PROJECT'
-MEAD FELLOWSHIP :
This project cleared stage one of the fellowship at University of Arts London.
“The clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world ... second only to oil,” The recipient of an environmental award told a stunned Manhattan audience earlier this year (Ecowatch, 2015). One of the most important component of textiles is color. In this environmentally harming industry, the coloring process requires an abundance of energy and resources involving harmful chemicals.
We cannot ignore the astounding growth of the fast fashion industry.
It seemed like a great alternative as it affordable, easy and fast,but environmentalists have now realized how dangerously harmful fast fashion is. The growing popularity of fast fashion market and the coloring process involved in it is only causing negative impact on the environment and also addressing ethical issues, making it a niche which requires immediate attention.
The research looked at:
- In-depth study of the different textile coloring agents
-The historical background of natural and synthetic dyes along with their applications
-Individual and comparative study of the environmental impacts of natural and synthetic dyes
- The evolution of fast fashion
-The current scenario of the fast fashion industry
-Environmental impact of fast fashion
-Analyzing the current aspect of color in fast fashion
- Rules, regulations and certifications of colorants
- Recent innovations.
After studying the market of fast fashion and correlating with the various age groups, it was observed that the age group (18 – 25 years) is obsessed with travel and adventure. This became the cue for the visual theme for the project. As different people have different interest even while visiting the same destination, a piece of fabric was used to record the travel information and display the individual’s itinerary.
Technical research was undertaken to develop a textile colorant out of air-pollutant. Carbon which is present as a pollutant in the air is a harmful waste and was converted into a useful product by an innovative process with attempts to reduce the use of chemicals. Experiments were done to use this colorant as a screen-printing ink or dye on textiles. It has been observed that in India the ‘soot’ - a deep black powdery or flaky substance consisting largely of amorphous carbon, produced by the incomplete burning of organic matter was used to make eyeliners and was commonly referred to as prison ink in the western culture. The challenge anticipated during the process of using ‘soot’ for screen printing ink or dye was the colorfastness of the textile colorant.
The research and practical work were interrelated and required primary as well as secondary research. This included interviewing colorists, scientist, industrial professionals, faculty, Ph.D. students and people who have worked in similar fields related to textile colorants, innovation, sustainability and fast fashion in order to gain insight. It would also require surveying the current generation and consumers of fast fashion. Their views on travel and study of different representation of travelogues, books, journals etc.
The basic aim of the paper was to analysis the environmental impact of the textile colorant in the fast paced fashion industry.
https://sootcolourant.wordpress.com/ ( For more Information on this project )
