Dyeing and flame retardant finishing of silk fabric: an ecofriendly approach

Abstract

In the current context of environmental contamination due to disposal of textile-manufacturing waste, substitution of synthetic dyes and chemicals with bio-colour or bio-extract is a big confront. Thus, the need of the hour is to develop green chemicals or dyes for sustainable textile processing with an eco-friendly approach. In light of above, a bio-colour has been extracted from Bauhinia vahlii bark and applied on the degummed and bleached silk fabric along with a bio-acid (citric acid). Dyed silk fabrics were tested for their color strength and fastness properties like color fastness to washing, water crocking and light and found satisfactory results. Banana peduncle extract (BPE) is also applied on the dyed fabric to improve the fastness properties and enhance the functional properties like flame retardant by pad-dry-cure method. Dyed and BPE treated silk fabric was tested and analysed for their color fastness properties and mechanical properties, like thickness, bending length, flexural rigidity and crease recovery and the results were recorded. Notably, evaluation of dyed and BPE treated silk fabric was carried out for flame retardancy according to ASTM D1230 standards and promising result was obtained.