This study evaluated the potential of kraft lignin (KL) obtained from mixed hardwoods as a natural dye for cotton fabrics. The dyeability was investigated through various dyeing conditions and mordants. The cotton fabrics were dyed with KL in differen...
This study evaluated the potential of kraft lignin (KL) obtained from mixed hardwoods as a natural dye for cotton fabrics. The dyeability was investigated through various dyeing conditions and mordants. The cotton fabrics were dyed with KL in different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0% o.w.b. (on the weight of bath)), temperatures (50, 70, 90 °C), and for different durations (30, 60, 90 min). The 1% Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub> aqueous solution was used as dye bath, and the fabric to liquor ratio was fixed to 1 : 50. The optimum dyeing conditions for KL onto the cotton fabrics were 2.0% o.w.b., 90 °C, and 90 min. The post-mordanting of cotton fabrics were conducted with FeSO<sub>4</sub>, FeCl<sub>2</sub>, Fe(CH<sub>3</sub>CH(OH)CO<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, MgSO<sub>4</sub>, CuSO<sub>4</sub>, CuCl<sub>2</sub>, and Al<sub>2</sub>(SO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> after dyeing at optimum conditions. The mordanting conditions were fixed to a mordant concentration of 1 mM o.w.f. (on the weight of fabric), liquor ratio of 1 : 30, 60 °C, and 30 min. Mordanting with Al<sub>2</sub>(SO<sub>4</sub>)<sub>3</sub> was conducted at 0.5 mM o.w.f. The colors of the dyed cotton fabrics were light brown and those of mordanted fabrics were in the range of light brown to light grayish brown. In regards to the colorfastness assessment, the cotton fabric dyed with KL showed good rubbing and moderate washing fastness, but poor light fastness. Therefore, KL might have the potential to be used as a natural dye with different tones of light brown.