About Fabric Dyes in Organic Cotton and Linens

It should be said at the outset, that ALL fabric dyes have some negative environmental impact. 100% Organic dyes that don't wash out and frustrate consumers over time and use, simply do not exist at this time. But the organic industry does its best with the most natural and low impact ingredients available.

The only 100% organic colors are natural, undyed versions of organic textiles such as organic cotton or organic wool .... or naturally peroxide whitened organic cottons.

EcoSleepShop^® partners and manufacturers use only the most eco-friendly, sustainable, and low impact dyes available.

Vegetable and Plant Dyes:

The most eco-friendly solutions are vegetable and plant dyes, which have been used for centuries to color fabrics. Vegetables are crushed or bruised then added to boiling water with the fabric to be dyed. Unfortunately, colors extracted from organic vegetables or other plants, are not permanent by themselves, and will absolutely fade and wash out in a relatively short time.

For color to be permanent, fabrics (even organic cotton and wool) must be treated with a mixture of "mordants" to bond color with the fibers; and there are no natural or organic alternatives. The most common mordant is alum (potassium aluminium sulphate). Colored organic woolens may also be treated with additives like iron, chrome, or a a mixture of alum and cream of tartar (not quite the cooking variety, but close).

Note: EcoSleepShop^® does not offer colored organic wool products at this time.

While vegetable dyes are the least intrusive, and the safest choice, there is a very small risk of contamination from field chemicals. There are not enough organic farms growing dye plants to supply global consumer demand; so plant based dye extracts may contain tiny bits of toxins such as insecticides or other chemical inputs. If so, those residual components are negligible and harmless.

Fiberactive Dyes:

We are seeing more "fiberactive" dyes and are now offering some organic cotton linens in vibrant fiberactive colors.

Fiberactive dyes actually are eco friendly, in the sense they contain no mordants; the dye solutions cause no harm to the environment when disposed of; and are not carcinogenic or toxic. Fiberactive dyes do, however, contain chemicals, and require oil based fuels to run processing plants.

Another advantage of fiberactives is durability of color that can last a generation or more because of the molecular bonding of fiber and color. This makes organic bedding and clothing more conducive to sharing with others on a long term basis (hand me downs; or hand me ups as I like to think). Also, organically dyed clothing and linens are more likely to be disposed of in landfills because of frustration with color fading.

Nature has provided a wealth of resources we can use to color our natural textiles, but has not provided an organic way to make those colors last. We do the best we can, but know that EcoSleepShop^® carries organic bedding and textiles as close to the earth as possible.

~ Susan Fullen-Yurek, Owner, EcoSleepShop^® Organics