BasicsofNaturalDyeing

Dye adherence

Theknowledgeanduseofcolorordyeoncotton,woolandsilkbeganwiththedawnofthecivilization
andwasfirstdevelopedintheEast,particularlyinIndia.Indiahasthelongrichtraditionofcoloredfabric
design.Therearemanyplantsandsomeanimalsourcesinnaturethatyieldcolorandcandyefabric,
leather,hair,andotheritems.Humansstartedusingdyesassoonastheywerediscovered;6000BCor
evenearlier.Itisnotpossibletopreciselylocatetheplaceofantiquitywheredyeingwasfirstknownas
anart.Evidenceleadsustobelievethatdifferentcivilizationshadeachitsownmethodspracticed.Itis
saidthattheEgyptianslearnedthisartasearlyasprobablytheIndiansandChinese.IntheMedieval
periodtherewerecertainplantsthatwereheavilyreliedonformostcolorstilltheinventofsynthetic
colors.
 Dye yielding plants

Colorwasconsideredbyancientpeopleasabasicnecessityasessentialasfoodandwater.Theancient
peopleusedexclusivelydyestuffsofvegetable,mineralandanimalorigin,alleasilyobtainedintheirown
vicinity.Naturalvegetabledyeshavebeenusedinmostoftheancientcivilizationsindifferentcountries
e.g.India,Egypt,Greece,Rome,etc.InIndiauseofvegetabledyesindyeing,paintingandprintinggoes
backtotheprehistoricperiods.

InIndia,accordingtotheinformationcollectedsofar,therearenearly300dyeyieldingplantsavailable.
Basedonthis,30rawmaterialsweretakenandsomeworkwasdonebyusingthesedyesoncotton,silk
andwool.
 Advantages of natural colors/vegetable dyes

NaturaldyesbearingEcomarkareecofriendly andacceptableintodaysworld

Theyarenontoxic&nonallergic,hazardfreeforskin.

Fastnesscanbeachievedbytheuseofpropermordants.

Theyaresafethelife,environment,fuel&timeandotherinvestmentprocess.

Forsuccessfulintroductionofvegetabledyesintotechnicaldyeingprocesses,someadditionaldemands
havetobefulfilled:

Increaseofthenumberofavailablevegetabledyeswithacceptablefastnesspropertiessuitedforone
bathdyeingprocesses;

Formationofanefficientsupplierorganizationwhichisabletoprovideadyehousewithstandardized
dyesofconstantqualityandtogenerateaninventoryofsuitablevegetabledyesfromapplicationpoint
ofview;
 More Information

Availabilityoftechnicalinformationabouttheuseofthedyescollectedfromforestorlocallygrown
plantation,emphasisbemadeonproductionofplantmaterialinsufficientamountswithmodern
agriculturalmethodswhichwouldincludesimpleandenvironmentallycleanextractionmethods,suiting
therequirementofadyehouse;

Determinationofecofriendlinessofthevegetabledyesforsuitabilityforwearingdyedfabrics;

Determinationofbiodegradabilityofthewastegeneratedafterdyeextractionfromtheplantsources.

Itisofutmostimportancetoknowthestructureofthedyedependingonthedyesstructurethe
mordantanddyeuptakeisexpected.Pretreatmentsareveryimportantpartofvegetabledyeing.
 Natural Dyeing Principles:
Applicationofnaturaldyesintodaysscenariomakesuseofmodernscienceandtechnologynotonlyto
revivethetraditionaltechniquebutalsotoimproveitsrateofproduction,costeffectivity and
consistencyinshades.Ittherefore,requiressomespecialmeasurestoensureevenness indyeing.Many
factorshavetobeaccountedforwhenoneworkswithnaturaldyes.Theyareasfollows:
.

1.NatureofmaterialtobedyedAnimalproteins,likewoolandsilkdyebestinacidicconditionsandare
weakenedbyalkaline.Ifananimalproteinisdyedinalkalineconditions,itisbesttoendwithadiluted
vinegarrinsetorestoreaslightlyacidicpHtothefibersbeforetheydry. Plantmaterialslikecotton,flax,
dyebestinalkaline(basic)conditionsandareweakenedbyacids.Ifcottonisdyedinacidicconditions,it
isbesttoendwithaweakwashingsodabathtorestorethefiberstoslightlyalkalinebeforetheydry.
 Measurements of Mordants and Dyestuffs:

Mostdyeingproceduresspecifyingredientsbyweightratherthanmeasure.Recipeswillalsospecify
theamountoffibertobedyedortheotheringredientswillbeexpressedasaratiotofiberweight.
Thisisbecausetheamountofwaterinthedyebathwillnotaffecthowstronglythefibertakescolor,
buttheamountofdyestuffinthedyebathdoes.Soifonegmoffiberhastobedyedwithonegmof
dyestuffandthenonewantstoreproducethesamecoloron5moregms offiber,theamountof
dyestuffshouldbemultipliedby5timesaswell.Thewatershouldalwaysbeenoughtoletthefibers
movearoundfreely;waterquantityshouldbesufficienttodipthefabric/fiberproperly.
 Temperature

Differentdyesworkbetteratdifferenttemperatures.Mostplantdyesbenefitfrombeingheated,but
some(i.e.madder)changecolorsifallowedtoboil.
Sappan woodalsohasatendencytochangecolorwhenheatedforprolongedhours.Somedyeswork
bestatlowertemperatures(safflowerandwoad/indigo).
 Agitation

Forgettingevendyeuptake,oneshouldmovethefibersaroundasmuchaspossibleinthedyepot.
Unfortunately,whenwoolisheatedandagitatedittendstofelt,soonemustbeverycarefulabouthow
muchoneshouldmoveitaround.Formostwools,heatingandcoolingthedyebathslowlyandbeing
gentlewhilemovingthefibersisnecessarytoavoidfelting.
 Natural Dyes are unpredictable

Booksonnaturaldyeingcanpredicttherangeofcolorsthatwillmostlikelybegivenfromadyesource,
buttherearesomanyfactorsinvolvedintheprocessthatreproducingacolorexactlycanbevery
difficultunlessthoseparametersarefollowedstrictly.Somereasonsfordisappointingresultscouldbe:
insufficientheat,ortoomuchheat,accidentalironorothermetalcontaminationinthewater,bad
growingconditionsforthedyeplant,plantharvestedatthewrongtimeofyear,dyestuffallowedtodry
out,dyestuffkeptinhumidconditions,dyestufftoooldanddyeobtainedfromdifferentplantationin
termsofclimateandsoilconditions.Thepointhereistolistsomereasonsforfailure,whichonewould
faceifonedoesnotgettheexpectedcolor themostexperienceddyersintheworldgetaccidental
colorsometimes.Onecanoverdyeandgetthedesiredcolors.
 Wet fibers look darker

Whentryingtoachieveacertaincolor,ithastobealwaysrememberedthatthecolorwhenwetwill
alwaysappeardarkerandmaybedisappointingwhenthefibersdry.Also,somecolorwillrinseout
afterrinsingthefibers.Alwaysdyeingtoadarkershadeinthedyepotthanwhatisrequired.Lifting
thefiberoutofthedyepotto"air"isoftengoodforthedyeingprocesstocheckthecolor.
 Rinsing

Fibersshouldberinsedaftertheyhavebeendyed,andsomedyeswillstillbleedforseveral
washingsafterwards.

Asmentionedabove,itisadvisabletoaddsomewashingsodatoplantfibersorsomevinegarto
animalfiberstoreturnthemtotheiroptimumpHinthelastrinse.
 Using Natural Dyes
Mordanting:

Thefirststepoftheactualdyeingprocessismordanting.Amordantisachemicalthat,when"cooked"
withthefiber,attachesitselftothefibermolecules.Thedyemolecule,then,attachesitselftothe
mordant.Differentmordants givedifferentcolorswhencombinedwiththesamedye.Forexample:the
dye,cochinealwhenusedwithalumsulfategivesafuchsiacolor;whenusedwithtin,thecolorismore
scarlet,andwhenusedwithcopper,itispurplish.Mordants exceptforalumandiron,areconsidered
toxicandtherefore,shouldbeavoidedinthepreparationofecotextilesotherwisethewholeexercise
willbeselfdefeating.
 Mordanting

Asthemordants aretoxictothedyerandthedisposalofthebathbecomesanenvironmentalproblem.
Thereforethechoiceofmordants islimited.Alumandironareidealsafemordants.Otherchemicals
knownasassistantsmaybeusedinadditiontodyesandmordants whichhelpincolorationofthefabric
inonewayortheother,forexample tochangepHandhencethecolor,sometimestobrightenthe
color,tohelpintheabsorptionofthemordantmetal,ortoslowdowntherateofabsorptionof
pigmentsorforevenness.Theseincludepotassiumhydrogentartrate (creamoftartar),oxalicacid,
tannicacid,aceticacid,formicacid,ammonia,sodiumsulphate (Glaubers salts),sodiumchloride
(commonsalt)andsodiumcarbonate(washingsoda).Treatingcottonwithtannicacidisusefulasit
preparesthefabricforeffectiveabsorptionofthedye.
 Mordants

ThewordmordantcomesfromtheFrenchMordandmordants canbedescribedasmetallicsalts
withaffinityforbothfiberanddyesstuffsandthatimprovesthecolorfastness.Evensomeofthe
fugitivedyeshavebeenusedsuccessfullywiththehelpofmordants.Dyesarecategorizedaseither
mordantor adjectiveorIndirectdyes.Mostofthenaturaldyesaremordantdyesexceptthevery
fewdirectdyesandvatdyesuchasIndigo.Thelatterdyeneedsnomordants.

Inadditiontoaddingsubstancestoabathformordanting,thevesselthatisusedmayitselfserveas
mordant.Thedyersusecoppertinvesselstobrightenthecolorandironvattodullthecolor.Togetthe
effectofalummordant,nowadaysaluminumdyepotwithalittlesodaisused.Togetthebasicoriginal
colorofthecoloringmaterials,earthenorstainlesssteelmaterialsareadvisable.
 Mordanting of cotton

Mordanting isveryimportantforcottondyeing.Naturaldyeingofcottonismoredifficultthansilkand
wool.Cottonisnotveryporousandwillnotholdthedyestuffwithoutamorecomplicatedpreparation
formordanting,thefibermustbecleanedfirst.

Preparationofalummordant Topreparealummordant,firstalumpowderandcreamoftartarare
mixedwithlittleboilingwaterandthenmadeupwiththeremainingrequiredwater.

Tinmordant Dissolvingcreamoftartaroroxalicacidinalittlequantityofhotwater.Whenitis
thoroughlydissolved,somemorehotwaterisadded.Additionofstannouschlorideandmixingwellis
continuedtillitdissolves.

Coppermordant Dissolvingsulphate ofCopperinlukewarmwaterandremainingrequiredquantityof

waterisadded.

Chromemordant Mordanting withpotassiumdichromateisbestjustbeforedyeing.Dissolvingthe

potassiumdichromateinlittlewarmwaterandmakingupthesolutionwiththerestofrequiredwater.

Ironmordant Dissolvingferroussulphate withalittlewarmandadditionofcreamoftartartothisand

thisshouldbemixedwell.
 Preparation of fabric for dyeing

Greyyarnorclothassuchisnotsuitablefordyeingorwetprocessingasitcontainsnaturalimpurities
suchasfats,waxes,coloringmatter,brokenseedsetc.Itneedstobewashedwithamilddetergent,to
removetheseimpurities,however,intheancientdaysthegreyfabricswereprocessedwithcowdung,
cameldung,goatdungsolutiontomakeitmoreabsorbentandbright.
 Modifier and pH

Modifier: Anybathusedafterthemaindyeingprocesstochangethecolor.Itmaycontainamordant
ormaybeveryacidicoralkaline.

pH: ThepHofaliquidcanbetakenusinglitmuspaperandisusuallyexpressedonascaleof014with7
being"neutral".Numberslessthan7areacidicandnumbersgreaterthan7arealkaline(orbasic).In
chemicalterms,themoreloosehydrogenatomsinasolution,themoreacidicitis.Somedyesand
fibersdyedifferentlyatdifferentpHlevels.
 Vat dye

Specialtreatmentofvatdyes:
Plantscontainingindigotin (Indigo,Woad,Kum etc.)workas"vatdyes"whereananaerobic
environmentmustbeachievedinthedyebathbeforethedyewilladheretofibers.Suchvatsare
usuallykeptatasteady,warmtemperaturetopromoteoptimalvatculture.
 Safety measures required in Natural dyeing

Becausedyeingsubstancesandmordants canbepoisonous,therearesomeimportantrulestofollow
whendyeing:

1.Dyeingshouldneverbedoneincookingvessels.

Allmeasuringandstirringspoons,scales,thermometers,jars,etc.shouldbeseparatelyusedfordyeing
purpose.

Theworkareashouldbecovered.

Wearingglovestoavoidcontactwiththeskinisnecessary.

Dyeinawellventilatedareaoroutdoors.

Rinsingfibersthoroughlyafterdyeingtoremoveallexcesschemicalsisessential.

Donotinhalesteamfromyourdyebaths.

Ifyouexperienceanyitching,burning,rash,orotherreaction,getawayfromthedyebath.
 Disposal of Mordants and Dyes:
Alwaysdilutebathsbeforepouringthemout.Mordantbathsandextremelyacidicoralkalinebaths
shouldbedilutedheavilybeforedisposal.Naturaldyesfromplantscanusuallybepouredoutontothe
groundwithoutilleffectsonsurroundingvegetation,butmordants andveryalkalineoracidicwatercan
damageplants.Neverpourbathsintopondsorrunningwater,pourthemasfarawayaspossiblefrom
wellsandsepticsystems,andtrytoavoidgardens,valuedplantsandcompostheaps.Theexception
wouldbeifyourbathcontainssomethingyouwouldhaveaddedtothesoilanyway;i.e.abathoflime
andmadder(nomordants)couldbepouredoutontoacidicsoil.
 Disposalandsafety

Pouringdyebaths andmordants downthedraincancauseproblemsforsepticsystems,especially

whenthebathisextremelyacidicoralkalineandwhenthebathcontainsalotofloosefibersorsolid
dyematerial.Inmostcases,dyeingoccasionallywillnotcauseaproblemforthelocalsewer,butlarge
scaleorfrequentdisposalofmordants anddyebaths coulddamagetheirsystems.
 Overdyeing

Overdyeing istheprocessoftakingfiberalreadydyedinonedyestuffanddyeingitwithsomethingelse.
Itcanoftenproducemuchbettercolorsthandyeingwithonedyestuffalone.Forinstance,dyeingafiber
yellowandthenoverdyeing withbluecanachievebeautifulgreens.
Historicallyoverdyeing wasoftenusedcommerciallytotakeadvantageoftwodyestuffsinthesame
colorrangewithdifferentproperties;i.e.brazilwood producesareallybrightredthatfades,andmadder
producesaverylonglastingred(butmadderredisn'talwaysasbright),sothetwowereoftenused
together.