Dyeing/Bleaching/Preparation: We can Obtain the Desired Properties at Any Stage.
To give clothes colour, we need to dye them. The dyeing process can occur during all stages, from fibre or regenerated/granules thread fabric and garment dyeing. Most commonly, dyeing takes place when the material is manufactured. Other desired effects on a garment, such as water repellency and “easy care”, can also occur in all stages. We can also add washing effects such as stone washing in the last step of the garment production.
Problem – Dyeing
Under manufacturing, they use large amounts of water and chemicals for pre-treatment, dyeing, washing and finishing. A lot of energy is also used to heat large quantities of water and dry the materials between processes.
The fabric dye we use today is mainly synthetic dyes. In addition to dyes, we use auxiliary chemicals, such as chemicals that help fix the fabric’s colour. The material can be treated in the final preparation to obtain the desired properties, such as softening or water-repellent treatment. It is not uncommon for chemicals used during dyeing and treatment to contain harmful substances to the environment or health of workers and users of the final product. Sometimes, they discard the process water into the nearest river or lake without pre-treatment. For example, some waterways near dyeing plants in Bangladesh ‘change colour after the fashion season’.
If water is not treated, it can affect the natural ecosystem and harm aquatic organisms. Some chemicals do not break down but remain in the environment and, for example, cause male fish to change sex to female fish – the species can no longer reproduce. Hazardous substances can also affect people working in the factory.
If you want to read more and learn about the whole process, check out the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and learn more about our work: Naturskyddsforeningen.se – facts, garment school 
