The colors of peacock feathers, butterfly wings, and opals are structural or physical colors. They result from light-modifying micro- and nano-structures.
Dyes and pigments, such as those used to color fabrics, are chemical colors. They produce their visual effect by selectively absorbing and reflecting specific wavelengths of visible light. The colors produced might be beautiful, but the environmental cost is high as dyes enter streams and rivers.
A two-step process has been developed to transfer 3-D colloidal crystals, a structural color material, to voile fabrics. The development team says the process does not produce contaminants that could pollute water.
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See: “Peacock colors inspire ‘greener’ way to dye clothes” | phys.org, 1 February 2017