A STUDY ON ECO-FRIENDLY DYEING WITH BANANA LEAVES AND MORDANTS: PROCESS INVESTIGATION AND OPTIMISATION

The widespread use of synthetic dyes in textile dyeing and printing has intensified environmental concerns due to pollutant discharge, prompting interest in sustainable natural alternatives. This study explores banana leaves as a renewable natural dye source for cotton fabric and evaluates the influence of mordants on colour performance. A mixed-level factorial design was applied using three variables: dyeing method, mordant type, and mordant concentration. Results showed that both exhaust and cold pad-batch methods achieved comparable dye uptake with banana leaf extract. Ferrous sulphate at 8% concentration, applied through the cold pad-batch method, produced the highest K/S values, indicating superior shade depth. Fabrics dyed with onion skin and pomegranate rind mordants exhibited poor wash fastness, whereas the exhaust method provided better wash fastness than cold pad-batch dyeing. Neither dyeing method nor mordant concentration significantly affected dry rubbing fastness in warp or weft directions. The findings demonstrate the potential of banana leaves as an eco-friendly substitute for synthetic dyes in textile applications.