Dyes and regulation

Hello Azhahia: There are many, many prohibited dyes. GOTS prohibits the use of all amine releasing azo dyes, for instance. This prohibited category includes the following chemical compounds with their CAR RN (chemical label) : Azo dyes (Restricted amines – from Azo dyes)

4- Aminodiphenyl (92-67-1)
Benzidine (92-87-5)
4-Chloro-o-Toluidine (95-69-2)
2- Napthylamine (91-59-8)
o-Aminoazotoluene (97-56-3)
2-Amino-4-nitrotoluene (99-55-8)
2,4 Diaminoanisole (615-05-4)4,4
Diaminodiphenylmethane (101-77-9)
3,3-Dichlorobenzidine (91-94-1)
3,3- Dimethoxybenzidine (o-Dianisidine) (119-90-4)
3,3- Dimethylbenzidine (o-Tolidine) (119-93-7)
3,3- Dimethyl-4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane (838-88-0)
p-Chloroaniline (106-47-8)
p-Cresidine (120-71-8)
4,4-Methylen-bis-(2- chloroaniline) (101-14-4)
4,4- Oxydianiline (101-80-4)
4,4- Thiodianiline (139-65-1)
2,4- Toluenediamine (95-80-7)
o-Toluidine (95-53-4)
2,4,5-Trimethylaniline (137-17-7)
o-Anisidine (90-04-0)
p-Amino-azobenzene (60-09-3)

There are many other categories of prohibited residues from dyes or from chemicals used in any of the other other production stages. Prohibited residues above a certain threshold using a specified test include formaldehyde and other aldehydes, heavy metals, PVC, organotin compounds, AOX, disperse dyes, and a whole list of other chemicals. This is important because, as you probably know, many of these chemicals, especially the heavy metals, are a component of – or a mordant or fixative for – dyestuffs.

In addition, there are requirements that dyestuffs must meet regarding oral toxicity, aquatic toxicity, biodegradability, eliminability and bi-accumulation in fatty tissues. The GOTS details are on their website: http://www.global-standard.org. Some dyestuff producers advertise that they have a dye group that meets these standards, such as Huntsman and Clariant.

As you know, vegetable and natural dyes are often some of the most heinous violators of some of these rules. Natural and vegetable dyes when used with usual mordants, fixatives, etc., are definitely NOT an eco choice.

As you also may know, this list of prohibited chemicals and limited chemical residues will most likely become longer in the coming years with the very important EU REACH legislation. We all suffer from the fact that most chemicals – in fact the vast majority – in industrial use currently have not been tested for aquatic toxicity, oral toxicity – haven’t been tested at all in most cases. REACH will change this situation over the next decade or so.

Hope this helps.

Leigh Anne