Fastness Properties and Color Analysis of Natural Indigo Dye and Compatibility Study of Different Natural Reducing Agents

Conventional reduction process of indigo dyes with sodium dithionite produced lots of harmful byproducts and caused environmental pollution. A new reduction method should be introduced to textile dyer so that reduction can be less hazardous with low impact on the environment and energy resources. This study investigates an alternative reducing agent obtained from natural resources. Three different types of reducing agent are used, extracted from the Date palm, Banana and Apple by boiling method. To compare their effect on the reduction of the natural indigo dyestuff, different color fastness properties, pH and the color yield (K/S) were measured according to the concentration of reducing agent and hydrated lime concentration. Outcomes show that K/S value varies with the amount of reducing agent. Average higher value shows from date palm among the three reducing agents at 25 °C & pH range 10.8–11. By using natural reducing agents, it can be possible to get satisfactory colorfastness and depth of shed compared to a synthetic reducing agent.