A Comparative Study on the Performance of Different Exhaustive Agents Used in Modern Dyeing vis-à-vis Primitive Dyeing of Silk Thread

Abstract

Arni, one of the major silk handloom weaving clusters of India, adopted a very primitive way of dyeing using open pan/vessels with direct heating that is invariably carried out without using any exhaustive agent as recommended in scientific way of dyeing the silk yarn. In order to educate the dyers about the quality characteristics of the dyed yarn material, dyeing trials of fully degummed tram silk were taken by using crimson, acid class of dye (CI 262085) with three exhaustive agents, viz., Glauber’s salt (sodium sulfate), sodium chloride, and unilevelon, a chemical preferred by certain dyer, and compared with the existing primitive way of dyeing method. The statistical analysis of the quality characteristics revealed that the color fastness to wash and rub, tenacity and elongation, and unlevelness index have significantly improved while the color fastness to light and color absorption in terms of CIE L*a*b* values have not shown any significant difference. The unilevelon has performed significantly better in terms of unlevelness index when compared to other/exhaustive agents.

Keywords

• silk handloom dyeing
• fastness properties
• acid dye
• exhaustive agent
• un-levelness index