Sustainable antibacterial printing of cellulosic fabrics using an indigenous chitosan-based thickener with distinct natural dyes
International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology
ISSN: 0955-6222
Article publication date: 15 March 2021
Issue publication date: 14 December 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Chitosan is widely considered as a natural polymer and a diverse finish to impart antibacterial property and enhanced dye uptake of textiles. Herein, the authors have investigated the feasibility of using chitosan/starch blend as a thickener in screen printing of cellulosic fabrics with some natural dyes.
Design/methodology/approach
The polymeric blend of chitosan/starch was prepared and used as a thickener for screen printing with three natural dye extracts, namely, Curcuma tinctoria (turmeric), Beta vulgaris (beet) roots and Lawsonia alba (henna) leaves on cellulosic fabrics like cotton and viscose. The viscosity and rheological properties of print paste as a fresh and after overnight shelving were examined. The influence of polymeric blends on cellulosic fabrics' print properties was inspected by determining their colorfastness, rubbing fastness, tensile strength and antibacterial activity.
Findings
The results depicted that chitosan/starch blend as printing thickener increased the shade depth with good wet and dry rubbing fastness for all the test natural dyes. The antibacterial activity of resultant printed cellulosic fabrics was found to be satisfactory against broad-spectrum bacterial strains.
Practical implications
This study's outcome is the development of chitosan blend thickeners to print the cellulosic fabrics with indigenous natural dyes.
Originality/value
The authors found no previous report on the synthesis of chitosan-based antibacterial blend thickeners with three distinct natural dyes and their application in screen printing of native and regenerated cellulosic fabrics of cotton and viscose, respectively.
Keywords
Citation
Raza, Z.A., Anwar, F. and Abid, S. (2021), "Sustainable antibacterial printing of cellulosic fabrics using an indigenous chitosan-based thickener with distinct natural dyes", International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, Vol. 33 No. 6, pp. 914-928. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCST-01-2020-0005
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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