The market for dyes and pigments in Italy

Dyes and pigments are substances that are used to dye a product of a certain color in many industries. It is important to make a precise distinction between dyes and pigments.

Dyes are soluble, and to be used they must first be meticulously ground and chemically bonded before or after treatment. They are used in many industries, including the food, chemical, cosmetic, textile, tannery and plastics processing industries.

The pigments are insoluble, and to be used they must first be ground and then placed on the surface of the material to be dyed. They are also used in many products, including cosmetics, inks, paints, varnishes, plastics, coatings, glass, concrete and ceramics.

Men have used dyes and pigments since prehistoric times, when they used dyes of mineral origin such as chalk and ochre to paint coloured murals in caves. Later, men began to use dyes of vegetable and animal origin to color fabrics. In the 19th century, the discovery of mauve, one of the first synthetic dyes, led to the beginning of the use of these materials in the textile industry.

The global market for dyes and pigments has grown in recent years, and is expected to continue to grow at a rate of 4% until 2023. The Asia-Pacific region dominates the global market due to increased production in developing economies. In addition, many international players have moved their production facilities to the Asia Pacific region due to lower costs and less stringent regulations.

In Italy, this activity is registered with the Ateco code 20.12.00, which indicates the "manufacture of dyes and pigments". The Italian market is shrinking, and turnover is down 21% from 2013 to 2018. Moreover, in the same period, the number of manufacturers of dyes and pigments has decreased from 92 to 86, which shows a concentration of the market.

In recent years, growing environmental concerns and rising pollution levels have led to changes in demand. Due to the growing awareness of end product users and the high content of hazardous chemicals in synthetic dyes, the latter are increasingly being replaced by natural and organic dyes.