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Considered as one of the most unwanted species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Prosopis juliflora plant is a noxious and invasive weed. Recent studies suggest that the heartwood of the plant has an unusually high amounts of flavonoids with potential medicinal properties and dyeing potentials. In this work, acetonic extracts were successfully valorized into a natural dye.

After extraction and optimization of dyeing conditions, the fabric was treated by using pre-mordanting, simultaneously mordanting and post mordanting techniques. The dyed samples were then evaluated by using standard methods ISO 105-C06, ISO 105-A02, ISO 105-X12 for wash, light and rub fastness, respectively.

Dye fastness ranged from good to very good with mordants improving both wash and rub fastness. Optimum pH for dyeing was found to be at 7.2 at temperatures of 60°C and a dyeing time of 80 min. Application of mordant in dyeing white fabric showed improved dyeing properties in post mordanting than both pre-mordanting and simultaneous mordanting.

To best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper details for the first time how a noxious weed can be transformed into a natural dye, with potential applications to the textile industry.

The majority of the synthetic dyes have been found to be non-biodegradable, toxic and carcinogenic. As a result, there has been a growing trend toward the use of natural dyes as alternates to synthetic dyes. This shift calls for more research to come up with more sources of natural dyes to satisfy their increasing demand. Euclea divinorum plant has been used traditionally as a source of dye, however, its textile dyeing properties have not been studied. This study aims to determine the textile dyeing properties of E. divinorum extract.

Optimization of dyeing conditions of Euclea divinorum natural dye extract on the cotton fabric was done using response surface methodology (RSM). The combined effects of examined dyeing conditions on the relative color strength (K/S) were studied using a central composite experimental design. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significance of the statistical model generated for the study. Mordanting effects were measured using standard ISO wash, rub and lightfastness tests.

The optimum dyeing conditions were found to be 68 min, pH 3.3 and 82°C with color strength 0.609. Temperature and pH showed some interaction effects during the dyeing experiments. The predicted optimum K/S value was validated experimentally using the optimum conditions and was found to be in agreement with the experimental values. All the metallic mordants used enhanced the color strength and provided a variety of brown shades, therefore, a suitable alternative for the toxic synthetic dyes.

Optimization of dyeing conditions of Euclea divinorum dye on cotton using RSM and mordanting at optimal conditions has not been done elsewhere.