Application of eco-friendly natural dye on cotton using combination of mordants

The colour fastness properties of the colourant extracted from the flower of Spathodea campanulata on cotton have been studied using different combination (1:3,1:1 and 3:1) of various mordants, such as myrobolan: nickel sulphate, myrobolan: aluminium sulphate, myrobolan: potassium dichromate, myrobolan: ferrous sulphate and myrobolan: stannous chloride. The wash, rub, light and perspiration fastness of the dyed samples have been evaluated. It is found that Spathadia campanulata dye can be successfully used for the dyeing of cotton to obtain a wide range of colours by using various combinations of mordants. With regards to colour fastness, test samples exhibit excellent fastness to washing, and rubbing, except for pre-mordanting using myrobolan: potassium dichromate combination; and good to excellent fastness to perspiration in both acidic and alkaline media.