Despite all of the technological advances in manufacturing apparel, the cotton dyeing process hasn't changed significantly since the Industrial Revolution. Most alarming, however: pollution from textile dyeing dumps 72 toxic chemicals into waterways — 30 of which cannot be removed once they've entered the water. The continuing saga in Indian textile production city Tirupur, where manufacturing facilities have come to a standstill after the Noyyal River has become clogged with pollution, is perhaps the most glaring example of the severity of the industry problem.
"We live in a hydrosphere where all water resources are connected," says Alexandra Cousteau, water conservationist and granddaughter of Jacques Cousteau, speaking in New York on August 7. The textile dyeing industry is responsible for 20 percent of worldwide industrial water pollution, the World Bank reports. Cousteau developed her love of oceans when she was 11 years old and exploring their vast expanses with her famous explorer grandfather, the "steward king" of aquatic environments. "When you lose those places, you lose more than a creek or a stream — you lose the opportunity to pass them on to the next generation," she explains.