Dyeing of Silk Thread with Natural Dyes: Assessment of Colour Fastness, Dye Uptake, and Mordant Efficacy
Abstract
Natural dyeing of Bombyx mori silk thread was explored using four plant-based dyes turmeric (Curcuma longa), henna (Lawsonia inermis), indigo (Indigofera tinctoria), and pomegranate rind (Punica granatum). To see how dye performance could be improved, three mordants were tested: alum (potassium aluminium sulphate), ferrous sulphate, and copper sulphate. Their impact was evaluated in terms of colour depth (K/S values), as well as wash, light, and rub fastness, following ISO standard methods.The silk samples used in the study were sericin-degummed, 100% mulberry silk (14 momme), and dyeing was carried out using the exhaust method at 60°C. Among the combinations tested, turmeric with alum showed the highest dye uptake, with a K/S value of 18.7. On the other hand, pomegranate rind with ferrous sulphate gave the best wash fastness, scoring between 4 and 5 on the standard 1–5 scale. Light fastness showed noticeable variation across the dyes indigo performed relatively well with a rating of 4, while turmeric had the lowest rating at 2. Overall, the findings suggest that natural dyes, when used with suitable mordants, can produce silk fabrics with colour fastness levels that are acceptable for commercial use. This supports the growing interest in more sustainable and eco-friendlier textile dyeing methods.
Keywords
Natural dyes, Silk dyeing, Mordants, Colour fastness, K/S value, Curcuma longa, Indigofera tinctoria, Eco-textiles, Bombyx mori, Sustainable dyeing
Citations
IRE Journals:
Govind Bhargava, Neelu Kambo, Sunita Arya, Shraddha Shukla "Dyeing of Silk Thread with Natural Dyes: Assessment of Colour Fastness, Dye Uptake, and Mordant Efficacy" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 8 2026 Page 2517-2524
IEEE:
Govind Bhargava, Neelu Kambo, Sunita Arya, Shraddha Shukla
"Dyeing of Silk Thread with Natural Dyes: Assessment of Colour Fastness, Dye Uptake, and Mordant Efficacy" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(8)
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