Introduction
Natural dyes are the dyes and pigments obtainedfrom renewable resources of nature, such as plant and animal, although naturaldyes from minerals of the earth are also known [1]. Colouring matter derivedfrom different organs of a plant, such as root, leaf, bark, trunk or fruit areknown as vegetable dyes, while the colouring matter obtained from the animalkingdom are known as animal dyes. Natural dyes find application chiefly forcolouration of food, drugs, cosmetics and textile [2]. Natural dyes areexplored by craft dyers and printers for colouration of textile materials forlong time [3]. After the synthesis of Mauvin by W.H.Perkin and its subsequentcommercialization, the use of natural dyes receded [2, 4] and the positioncontinued to be much the same until in the recent past growing consciousnessabout environmental preservation and control of pollution and conventionalwisdom and belief regarding environment friendliness of natural dyes haverenewed interest for use of natural dyes for the colouration of textile [5-7].Studies related to application of some of the natural dyes on cotton, silk andwool fibres are available in the literatures [8-15]. Onion (Allium cepa)belongs to Liliaceae family and originated in the Middle East. It has been usedsince centuries as vegetable all over the world. The outermost dry papery skinof onion yields the dye C.I. Natural Yellow 10. The main colouring componentfound in the skin of onion is quercetin [16]. Marigold (Tagetes erecta)is a stout branching herb extensively cultivated in all over India and is used at religious ceremonies. The flowers mainly contain the flavonol-quercetagetol,which is a derivative of quercetol [17-18]. Tea (Camellia sinensis) is abeverage produced from leaves of the tea plant. The chief biochemical colouringcompounds present in the tea liquor are theaflavin and thearubigins [19]. Palas(Butea monosperma) flower is abundantly available throughout India in deciduous forests. This tree gets up to 50 ft high with stunning flower clusters.It looses its leaves as the flowers develop during the month of January toMarch. The main colouring compound found in this flower is buteol [1].
The present article reports printing of handloomcotton fabric with the above vegetable colourants in presence of differentinorganic salts, like aluminium sulphate, ferrous sulphate and copper sulphateand to assess different colourfastness properties of those printed textile. Thepresent work was undertaken keeping the scope and growing demand forenvironmentally safe natural printed handloom textile products in view.
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