Waterless and Natural Dyestuff Trending in South Asian and ASEAN Nations

In 2014, the Indian government announced plans to set up integrated textile parks and offer financial support to small and mid-size textile companies. In the same way, Indonesia plans to generate $75 billion from textile exports by 2030 and increase its share in the worldwide textile exports by 5%. Such moves are expected to give a massive boost to the textile industry, which would lead to a rapid rise in the demand for various raw materials used here, including yarn and dyestuff.

P&S Intelligence credits these government efforts while forecasting that the ASEAN & South Asian dyestuff for textile market will grow from $1,163.6 million in 2016 to $1,938.9 million by 2023, at a 7.8% CAGR during forecast period. Dyes are soluble substances that are used to color textiles, apart from concrete and plastics. Before being applied to a substrate, these dyes are converted into an aqueous solution, i.e., mixed into a solvent.

Currently, the demand for these materials in South Asian and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries is rising on account of the growth in the apparel popularity. With an increase in the disposable income and influence of the Western culture, sales of jeans, outerwear, innerwear, T-shirts, dresses, shorts, children’s wear, trousers, and socks are surging in South and Southeast Asian nations. Moreover, these nations are witnessing rapid population growth, which is another reason behind the increasing demand for textiles and, in turn, dyestuff.

Apart from reactive dyes, the demand for natural dyes is also increasing in the textile industry of South Asian and ASEAN countries. Synthetic dyes often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which not only harm the environment but also cause deadly human diseases, such as cancer. This is why dyes made from plants, animal secretions, insects, fruits, and minerals are rapidly becoming popular. These are biodegradable, offer a smooth finish to fabrics, protect the wearer against ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and possess antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Thus, with the growth in the demand for apparel and government efforts to boost the textile sector, the requirement for dyestuff will keep increasing in South and Southeast Asian countries.