The dyeing potential of urtica mossaica plant dyes on silk and cotton fabrics.

Abstract

The Use of natural dyes has increased several folds in the past few years due to the eco-friendly approach of the people. This research project therefore reports the potential use of dyes from Urtica mossaica (stinging nettle plant), roots, stems and leaves on 100% silk and cotton fabric using Alum and Ferrous sulphate, the environmentally safe mordants. This analysis was performed to identify the possible performance of color compounds of stinging nettle leaves stems and roots responsible for dyeing the above mentioned fabrics in the presence of Alum Ferrous sulphate and without using mordants (control experiment). Ferrous sulphate and Alum an are the safest of the metal salt mordants, because it takes one ounce to kill an adult who swallows them, instead of just a few grams. (All About Hand Dyeing Q&A, January 03,2010). Stinging nettle is one of the richest sources of chlorophyll in the vegetable kingdom. The leaves of the plant were boiled in distilled water to produce a green dye decoction for which it was used to dye cotton and silk fabrics. A light yellow dye was extracted from the roots and also used to colour the mentioned fabrics above. During dyeing process, pre-mordanting of materials was done using the two mordants, alum and ferrous sulphate respectively. Study about fastness tests of dyed clothes was undertaken. Large range of shades was obtained for using different mordants and without using mordants (control experiment). On fastness rating, dyes extracted from stinging nettle roots and leaves showed best results with Alum followed by ferrous sulphate and least with a control experiment. It should be noted that, the presence of alum and ferrous sulphate mordants did improve the fastness properties of dyes from roots and leaves of stinging nettle on both cotton and silk fabrics making them more stable under the influence of ultra violet light radiation. Washing developed the true fastness properties of the natural dyes in his study. Grey scale (ISO 105-A03: 1993, BS EN 20105-A03:1995, BS 1006-A03:1990, SDC Standard methods 5th Edition A03) was used in assessing colour change. Depending on the results obtained from table 10 and 11 of this study, dyes obtained from this selected plant in Uganda can be a fair source of natural dyes for natural fibres selected in the textile industry.