Ecofriendly Dyeing of Silk, Cotton, and Nylon Fabrics Using Red Prickly Pear Fruit Extract and Natural Mordants.

Abstract

Interest in natural dyes has increased as an ecofriendly alternative to synthetic colorants within the textile industry. This study investigates the potential of red prickly pear fruits (Opuntia Lasiacantha Pfeiffer) as a novel source of natural dye. The research covers the extraction and chemical characterization of the dye, followed by an evaluation of its application on various textile substrate, including silk, cotton, and nylon fabrics using plant based mordants, pomegranate rind, thuja fruit and moringa leaves to enhance dye fixation and performance. The colorant was obtained through an aqueous based extraction and characterized via UV-VIS spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Fixation was tested on silk, cotton and nylon using exclusively plant mordant. Spectroscopic analysis emphasis the presence of betacyanin derivatives as the principal chromophore components. The application of dye in conjunction with natural mordants yielded a range of light brown shades on silk, nylon and cotton substrates. Thus, the dyed fabrics exhibited satisfactory light and pressing fastness, indicating adequate superior colorfastness for practical use. this study highlights the significant potential of this entirely sustainable, bio based process, thereby offering a commercially viable environmentally benign solution to replace synthetic dying practices.