A novel bioactive fabric dyed with unripe Citrus grandis Osbeck extract part 1: dyeing properties and antimicrobial activity on cotton knit fabrics

In order to explore the potential use of Citrus grandis Osbeck in biomedical applications for improving human’s skin health, cotton knit fabric was dyed with the citrus extract under varied conditions including temperature, duration, pH, and dye concentration and evaluated for fastness and antimicrobial activity. The fabric was optimized for maximum dye uptake at a pH of 3, dyeing temperature of 60°C, dyeing duration of 60 min, and dye concentration of 800% owf. The dye fastness to rubbing, washing, perspiration, and light were reasonably good for 800% owf dyed fabrics. In terms of antimicrobial efficacy, fabric dyed with the high concentration showed excellent bacterial reduction rates against Staphylococcus aureus for up to five repetitions of laundering, which implies there is a need to improve antimicrobial durability. In a following work, the optimally dyed fabric will be tested for in-vivo dermal effects.