If you're looking to take advantage of the current trend of "green" goods, creating and using organic dyes and pigments is a good way to start. It can differentiate your textiles business from others and help you reach a niche consumer market.

When you're just starting to get into the organic dye business, you have a lot to learn. Focus your organic dyes and pigments education and training in the following three areas:

1. How to create organic pigments from plants and other natural sources;

2. How to use these dyes to color fabrics;

3. Where to buy organic dye that you are not able to produce yourself.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn how to use organic materials to create organic pigment

Organic fabric dyes can come from lots of different sources, including vegetables, flowers and even insects. The trick is to decide which colors you'd like to produce and then decide what you would like to derive them from.

I recommend: Read PioneerThinking's article on making natural dyes from plants. It provides a lot of information on what colors you can produce from what source and has a step-by-step tutorial on how to make the organic materials into dyes. Then go to the USDA's website and read the requirements for having your vegetable or flower "farm" certified organic. If you meet these rules, you may be able to use the official seal on your dyes.

Discover how to use your natural organic pigments to color fabric

After you've produced your organic dyes, you will need to color some fabric swatches to show off your colors to potential buyers. This is a very important process to perfect if you want to sell dyed fabric or clothing,

I recommend: Visit Aurora Silk's website and read the instructions on how to use natural dyes on fabrics. Then read The Gourmet Grill's article on how to set dye so the colors don't run when you wash your fabric.

Determine where to buy organic dye you can't produce it yourself

For one reason or another, you may not be able to produce all of the organic fabric dyes you wish to sell and you might have to purchase one or more colors of pigment. Make sure the company you buy from can prove to you that its dyes are organic or this could eventually hurt your credibility.

I recommend: Read through the products page on Organic Dyestuff's website to get an idea of the dyes you will be able to buy. Then go to Paula Burch's site on organic dye suppliers. She has a list of dozens of companies all around the world you can check for location and pricing. Some offer organic and traditional dyes, so be careful when it comes time to buy.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  People who look for clothes with organic fabric dyes probably want organic fabric as well. Keep that in mind when you shop for fabric or clothing for your business.

People have used organic dyes and pigments for as long as humans have existed. Over the years their purposes have ranged from bright ceremonial garb to hunting camouflage. Now, organic dyes are prized for their smooth color and renewable origins.

There are many varieties of dye on the market. General purpose liquid or powder dyes are the most common and are used for many industrial applications. Specialty dyes include organic hair dye or organic fabric dye. In any case, knowing how to properly use the dyes you wish to purchase is a good first step towards making your purchase. Consider the following when using organic dyes and pigments:

1. It may be easier and cheaper to make your own dyes from locally available resources depending on your business model.

2. Commercial organic dyes come in both powder and liquid form. These general purpose dyes have many uses all across industry.

3. Specialty dyes are available from smaller companies. The most common uses for specialty dye are on hair and fabric.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Utilize natural organic pigments from plants found all over the U.S.

Creating your own dyes and pigments can greatly increase the uniqueness and value of your product. While this isn't a viable route for large organizations, smaller companies can use local plants to make their products more distinctive.

I recommend: Essortment has information on making basic dyes from plants that are available year-round throughout the county. Pioneer Thinking has a much wider variety of recipes and processes, but some of their materials are more difficult to find.

Use general purpose organic dyes and pigments for many industrial and commercial purposes

Commercial organic dyes are typically made from plants and insects. These dyes have a wide variety of tones and colors but often share a subtle undertone that denotes it as an organic pigment. They are typically packaged as powder or in a liquid suspension. In either case, the dyes are heavily concentrated and need to be diluted before use.

I recommend: ORCO offers an online Lab Request Form that will put them right to work for you. Buy organic dye or instruct them in your unique color creation. Dharma Trading will show you the range of color available from dyes derived from plants and insects.

Find specialty hair and organic fabric dyes

The two most common types of specialty dyes are hair dye and fabric dye. These specialty dyes typically come in much smaller quantities than their commercial brethren but are equally as concentrated.

I recommend: Herbarium International sells a wide range of organic dyes all around the world. Aurora Silk is a one stop spot for organic dyes, including a wide range of fabric dyes. They also ship silk works and supplies all over the United States.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  A common mistake is to assume that anything made completely out of organic and natural material is safe; this is not the case. Many organic dyes require heavy metal compounds (called mordants) to properly set into an item. These metals are toxic when absorbed through the skin or inhaled. In addition, many dyes contain heavy salts that are easily absorbed through the skin.

The idea of a product that can pick up dirt or other particles dates back to the late 1800s. At that time, a vacuum cleaner was an amazing invention. Today, vacuum cleaners are standard pieces of machinery that are used for domestic or commercial purposes. Simply put, a vacuum cleaner picks up particles using an air pump that sucks up particles.

Industrial strength vacuum cleaners are much more powerful than commercial or domestic vacuum cleaners. They are made for both wet and dry applications.

There are many different types of vacuum cleaners available in the market for a wide variety of applications.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Wet/dry vacs

Today's vacuum cleaners can be useful in multiple applications. You can use the dry vac function for industrial floors while the wet vac function can be useful for floods and other liquid waste. You can either purchase a dry vac, a wet vac or a combination of the two.

I recommend: To learn more about wet/dry vacs, you can refer to an article at Popular Mechanics, an information resource that provides information on wet/dry vacs and how they work.

HEPA

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air. It is a filtration system found in vacuum cleaners that traps elements that are as small as 0.3 microns. HEPA filters are mostly used when the required surrounding air must be clean.

I recommend: wiseGEEK, an information resource, defines HEPA and also provides a brief history of the filter.

ULPA

ULPA (Ultra-Low Penetration Air), like HEPA, is a filtration system that has an efficiency rating of 99.999% versus HEPA's 99.97%. You can use this kind of filtration system in laboratories, where the cleanest possible air is required.

I recommend: Ristenbatt Vacuum Cleaner Service offers a section called the ‘Facts about Vacs’ where you can find detailed information on HEPA and ULPA.

Amperage

The larger and more powerful the equipment, the more amperage or amps are required to make it work properly. Amperage is the power that is transferred to the product, once it is plugged in.

I recommend: NDT Resource Center, an online information resource provided a definition of amperage.

Central vacuum system

A central vacuum system is a stationary unit that is usually mounted elsewhere. An advantage of a central vacuum cleaner is its more powerful motor. Additionally, a central vacuum system is more convenient.

I recommend: You can read about the central vacuum system and its advantages over other models at vacuumsite.net.

Bagless vacuum cleaners

Today, many manufacturers supply vacuum cleaners that do not include a bag. The models now trap particles in a container that has to be emptied after each use.

I recommend: You can read about bagless vacuum cleaners at VacuumWizard, an online resource that provides information on vacuum cleaners.

An organic pigment is a pigment or dye that uses only natural ingredients to achieve bright colors for fabrics, paper, food and other commercial products. Even though natural organic pigments are made from natural elements, the substance can still be toxic or volatile during the dyeing process. Many organic dyes work well with natural and synthetic fabrics.

There are many organic fabric dye products that can be used in a typical dyebath. These products alone, or in combination with other organic substances, can create a rainbow of colors. The most common organic dyes and pigments types and styles for fabrics include:

1. Acidic dyes for products such as acrylic and nylon;

2. Basic dyes for creating natural organic pigments on wool and silk;

3. Pastes and powders easing the dispersal method of dyeing large surface areas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose acid organic fabric dyes for dying specific fabrics

Acid dyes are applied to many types of fabrics including wool, silk, acrylic and nylon. Acid dyes use the process of salt formation in the dye to allow uptake of the dye onto the fibers. Acid dyes are also used in the dyebath process when basic dyes are used. This neutralizes the dyebath for better uptake.

I recommend: Organic Dyestuffs provides information on organic acid dyes, what types of fabric take the dyes and the range of colors available. CQ Concepts provides specifications for citric acid powder, a common component in organic acid dyes.

Use basic organic dye for specialty fabrics and paper

Basic dyes are used for acrylic, leather, silk and wool fibers. This type of dye is also used in the process of coloring paper products. Basic dyes are water soluble and are usually used in combination with acidic dyes. This combination of acids and bases in a dyebath assists the uptake of the dye into the fibers.

I recommend: StainsFile provides more information on basic dyes. All About Hand Dyeing provides a guide on hand dyeing acrylic materials with basic dyes.

Buy organic dye that uses the best dispersal method of coloring

Disperse dyes are not soluble in water. This makes using disperse dyeing a two-part process. The first part of the dye is a paste or powder. Then the dye is added to a dyebath along with a specific dispersing agent. Some specific applications of a disperse dye requires a temperature of 266 degrees Fahrenheit and a pressurized dyebath to achieve the best color. This process is commonly used for polyester, nylon and other synthetic fibers.

I recommend: Dyes & Pigments provides a buyers guide for dyes that includes information on the proper dispersion rate dyes. Great Vista Chemicals provides additional information and specifications for different types of disperse dyes.