Noyon Lanka, one of the world’s largest lace manufacturers and a subsidiary of MAS Holdings, has launched Planetones– a 100% natural dye solution for lace. It is the first product of its type to be approved by the Control Union.

According to estimates, dyeing and fabric treatment produce up to 20% of the wastewater produced globally, which is a significant factor in the fashion industry's total environmental impact. In addition to these effects, dyeing contributes to carbon emissions.

In a recent press conference in Sri Lanka, Noyon executives emphasized that one method to help manufacturers, retailers, and the whole garment sector achieve their sustainability goals is to change the way dying is done and make it more ecologically friendly. Sustainable solutions are more important than ever given the industry's intense scrutiny for its influence on the environment.

Planetones is the first all-natural nylon lace dye product in the world, and it has been awarded the Control Union's Eco Dye Standard. Additionally, it conforms with Level 1 of the Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) for Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC).

Planetones, a product that has been developed and tested on a variety of nylon bases, is made using natural color sources from fruit, including cranberry and achiote. The predicted water and energy savings over a synthetic dye are around 30% and 15%, respectively, and claim a considerable decrease in the chemical load to wastewater.

These benefits have not been achieved at the expense of any critical parameters affecting the product's quality. Given that no two natural sources are exactly comparable, the solution's color matching ranges from 85% to 95%, a record-breaking result for natural dyes. The solution receives a score of 2.5–3.5 for light and 3.5 for other materials in terms of colorfastness. Similar to that, color reproducibility is likewise quite strong, at 90% to 95%.

Ashiq Lafir, CEO of Noyon Lanka, said that this invention marks a significant turning point in Noyon's sustainable path. They are actively working with other supply chain players to make this solution available to them in the hopes that it would spur the production of clothing that only uses natural dyes in the near future. While they're proud of their breakthrough, this is just the start of their journey. They are certain that they can create even more sustainable solutions through current advancements in development.