MEDinCHAMBERS Showcases Dye Plants as a Pathway to Cleaner Textile Dyeing and SME Innovation

The MEDinCHAMBERS workshop in İzmir explored dye plants as a cleaner alternative to synthetic dyes, highlighting opportunities for lower-impact dyeing and the key barriers SMEs face to scale adoption.

Publication Date
23/06/2026
Reading Time
3 minutes

MEDinCHAMBERS Advances Cleaner Textile Dyeing by Showcasing Dye Plants as a Pathway for Green Transition and SME Innovation

Why cleaner dyeing matters for the green transition

Textile dyeing and finishing are estimated to contribute around 17–20% of global industrial water pollution. This makes cleaner colouration a key lever for sustainability in the textile sector.
Conventional dyeing can require significant energy and fossil fuel inputs. It also often relies on synthetic dyes, which may release harmful chemicals into wastewater. These impacts can affect aquatic ecosystems, soil quality, and drinking water sources.
Against this backdrop, dye plants—natural dyes derived from plant-based sources—are gaining renewed attention. They are increasingly seen as a renewable option that could support lower-impact production models.

MEDinCHAMBERS activity in İzmir: what happened and why it matters

Within the framework of MEDinCHAMBERS, a workshop titled “Green Transition in the Textile and Leather Sector: Sustainable Industry with Dye Plants” was held in İzmir. The goal was to explore practical solutions that can help companies—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—advance both sustainability and competitiveness.
The session brought together sector stakeholders to:
  • discuss opportunities offered by dye plants for cleaner dyeing processes,
  • identify barriers that prevent adoption at industrial scale, and
  • Highlight where innovation and technical support are needed to help SMEs move from experimentation to scalable implementation.
This type of dialogue supports MEDinCHAMBERS objectives by strengthening knowledge exchange. It also helps business support actors translate sustainability ambitions into actionable pathways for companies.

Synthetic dyes: performance advantages, environmental costs

With industrialization, synthetic dyes became widely used for clear reasons. They offer:
  • durability,
  • shorter processing times,
  • more standardized colour outcomes, and
  • lower costs.
These features fit industrial-scale production needs.
However, many synthetic dyes contain toxic substances. Over time, they can contribute to pollution, health concerns, and non-biodegradable waste accumulation. Wastewater from dyeing may include hazardous compounds, and non-biodegradable dyes can reduce the photosynthetic capacity of aquatic plants—lowering oxygen levels in water ecosystems.

Dye plants: heritage-based solutions with new sustainability potential

Archaeological evidence links plant-based dyeing traditions back to 4000 BC. Anatolia has long been a significant centre for dye plants and natural dyeing practices.
Türkiye’s biodiversity—reported in ethnobotanical studies as more than 12,000 plant species—creates strong potential for natural dye sources.
Common natural dyeing approaches include:
  • mordant dyeing,
  • direct dyeing,
  • vat dyeing,
  • overdyeing, and
  • eco-printing.
Frequently used dye sources include pomegranate peels, onion skins, eucalyptus leaves, walnut shells, almond shells, peanut shells, indigo seeds, mango seeds, and beetroot.

Opportunities: lower-impact processes, local sourcing, and transparency

Compared to synthetic dyes, dye plants can offer environmental advantages. Extraction and application may involve fewer chemicals, lower carbon emissions, and lower energy consumption.
Their biodegradability can also reduce harm to aquatic ecosystems and groundwater resources. When combined with sustainable agricultural practices, dye plants may support vegetation and carbon sequestration.
There is also a local sourcing opportunity. Dye materials can sometimes be sourced locally, including food waste such as onion skins—creating additional value for local economies.
Consumer expectations are shifting too. A study by Marks & Spencer (2006) in Britain reported that 78% of consumers prefer to be informed about:
  • working conditions,
  • chemicals used during production, and
  • how garments are manufactured.
In this context, dye plants can support storytelling and traceability narratives aligned with responsible production.

Barriers to industrial adoption: standardization, fastness, scale, and cost

Despite their potential, dye plants face major constraints at industrial scale.
According to İTKİB (Turkish Exporters Assembly Textile and Apparel Sector Research and Development Center), industrial-scale production requires significant cultivation volumes and advanced harvesting and extraction technologies.
Key challenges include:
  • lack of standardized formulations suitable for industrial textile applications,
  • limited compatibility with machinery-based processes,
  • variability in colour and performance (climate, harvest quality, water composition, application techniques),
  • colour fastness limitations (sensitivity to sunlight and washing), affecting product lifespan and customer satisfaction,
  • scalability constraints, given competing land use for food and feed production,
  • potential environmental risks if extraction drives deforestation or threatens endangered species, and
  • higher costs, with natural dyes reported as five to ten times more expensive than synthetic alternatives.

What SMEs reported during the workshop

During the İzmir workshop, SMEs and textile companies shared practical obstacles encountered across the dye plant process.
Even when dye plants provide strong cultural value and credible sustainability positioning, difficulties remain around durability, colour fastness, scalability, and post-production stages.
At the same time, the discussions highlighted strong motivation among companies seeking more responsible alternatives. Emerging innovations that combine traditional dyeing knowledge with modern technological approaches were presented as promising routes to bridge heritage practices with industrial production requirements.

Conclusion: innovation as the bridge from niche to scale

As one of the world’s largest industries, the textile and apparel sector has not yet been able to integrate dye plants across all stages of industrial production.
Continued research, systematic planning, and technological advancement are needed to:
  • improve performance,
  • reduce chemical use during fixation and cleaning stages, and
  • enable more consistent results.
Natural dyes derived from waste materials and plant residues may become increasingly capable of meeting industry needs. In parallel, small brands and emerging designers can play an important role in piloting and validating processes at smaller scale before wider uptake.

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