Biogenic colourants in the textile industry – a promising and sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes

The textile and dyeing industry have shown dramatic growth alongside synthetic chemistry in the last century. With operations and economic importance, challenges also increase, including environmental pollution, work safety, and consumer health. Change of perspectives in the industry is on the rise, so environmentally-friendly solutions for safer processes and more circularity are urgently sought-after. A possible solution for the pressing issue of textile dyeing is the use of natural colourants obtained in fermentation processes. In this contribution, a comparison between biologically-derived dyes and their synthetic counterparts is conducted on several levels. The structural diversity of biogenic dyes is potentially high enough to pose an alternative on a broad front. Matching fundamental properties concerning dyeing, (bio)synthesis and toxicity give an impression of the advantages of developing this natural alternative. The most important topics for the future are outlined. Major challenges and potential solutions that limit the implementation of biogenic dyes into the textile dyeing value chain are discussed. Biotechnology offers numerous methods to increase reliable production or engineer molecular properties elegantly. The biggest advantage from a Green Chemistry perspective is the possibility to switch to renewable starting materials and obtain more biodegradable dyes. A more sustainable alternative in textile dyeing is afoot. It needs to be embraced and developed to provide the world population with a sustainable way into the future.