dye

Forward-thinking tailoring and experimental dye techniques shine in this indigo-dyed Japanese denim jacket from the Fall/Winter ’24 collection, a collaboration with local designer Lyle McGraw.

Some of those substances, including red dye No. 3, will become illegal in California in 2027 under a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year.

According to legend, Tyre is the place where purple pigment was first created - the dye crushed out of snail shells to embroider royal robes.

“Traditionally in dyeing fabric, you're steeping the fabric in water at 135 degrees celsius for up to four hours or so – gallons and tons of water. For example, to dye one ton of polyester, you're generating 30 tons of toxic wastewater,” Alchemie founder Dr Alan Hudd tells me.

In a small corner of rural Taiwan, set amongst other dye houses and small factories, the start-up Alchemie Technology is in the final phase of rolling out a project it claims will upend the global apparel industry and slash its carbon footprint.