Team Members:

Jingrong Liu
Yingyao Zhao

Keywords

• NATURAL DYE
• SUSTAINABLE
• COLOURATION

Summary

This report has compared natural and synthetic dyes from historical, environmental, and industrial perspectives, tracing the evolution and current state of textile dyeing technologies. While synthetic dyes remain dominant due to their superior performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, they also pose considerable environmental and health challenges. Using PESTEL and push-pull analyses, the study has highlighted the key drivers and barriers shaping the adoption of natural dyes. Furthermore, business case studies and circular micro-solutions—such as waste-derived dyes from coffee, tea, pomegranate, and walnut shells—illustrate practical pathways toward more sustainable textile dyeing practices. Overall, despite inherent limitations, natural dyes offer significant potential for advancing environmentally responsible and sustainable textile systems.