Sustainable Processing with Herbs on Bamboo, Banana, and Merino Wool Fibers

Abstract

To refute the global catastrophe owing to emissions and effluents from the textile wet processing units, with sustainability at fore, the research herein performs the processing of natural fibers with herbal materials for coloration and to add functionality. Biodegradable fibers bamboo, banana, and merino wool were contemplatively considered for treatment with surplus plant-based materials, namely, mango ginger, alkanet, henna, cloves, munro, chilly, birch, goldenrod, poplar, and walnut. An organic process was developed for the extraction and application of natural biomaterials on natural fibers for sustainable outcomes. The dissolved oxygen (DO) level and oxidation-potential level (ORP) were highest with cloves at 7.91 mg/l and 84.0 mV, respectively. The maximum K/s values obtained for mango ginger, cloves, and henna were 26.43, 23.23, and 28.53, respectively. The wash fastness ratings and the lightfastness ratings were best obtained with merino wool yarns treated with cloves. The ATR-FTIR demonstrated cloves and merino wool yarns treated with cloves as the most condensed in functional groups, namely, alcohol O-H bonds, C = C aromatic carbonyl group, and carbon to nitrogen triple bonds followed by mango ginger and henna. Evaluation of functional properties such as anti-microbial will be carried out further.

Keywords

• sustainable textiles
• bamboo fibers
• banana fibers
• merino wool fibers
• merino wool yarns
• herbal colors