ColorZen's Cleaner Way to Dye

The textile dyeing industry is among the worst polluters and water wasters. Dye houses in countries such as India and China dump hazardous chemicals into waterways, making them unsafe for drinking, and haven’t been eager to overhaul centuries-old practices. Tony Leonard, 64, a textile chemist from North Carolina, and Michael Harari, the 29-year-old son of a New York City apparel maker, are out to change that.

In 2010, the two founded a startup to commercialize Leonard’s improvements to the dyeing process. The status quo “requires an excessive amount of water and chemicals,” Leonard says. ColorZen, their 20-person venture, unveiled a nontoxic treatment for cotton fiber on July 24 that they say will speed dyeing while eliminating the vast majority of chemical, water, and energy use.