Color and functionality construction of cellulose towels with biological Monascus pigment based on a nano-suspension system

As a sanitary textile that directly contacts sensitive parts of the human body, such as mouth, nose and eyes, towel is very important for our daily life and health. However, the colored cellulose towels we use daily are dyed with synthetic dyes. This can be a problem for people with sensitive skin, particularly babies. In this research, cellulose towel fabric was dyed using a nano-level Monascus pigment dyeing solution, which eliminated the need for organic solvent to dissolve the pigment, making it an environmentally friendly dyeing scheme. After 90 °C pre-mordanting treatment and 80 °C dyeing for 30 min respectively, the K/S value of towel fabric could reach 9. In addition, the washing fastness of dyed towel fabric was 3–4, the dry/wet friction fastness was 4–5 and 3–4, and the K/S value remained high even after 20 washing times, and also demonstrated a certain level of UV resistance and antibacterial properties. In conclusion, the application of the dyeing method for cellulose towel fabric with biological Monascus pigment based on a nano-suspension system was found to be both efficient and environmentally friendly, which was anticipated to replace certain traditional synthetic dyes in the future. [Display omitted] •Edible Monascus pigment was initially utilized for the color and function construction of cellulose towel fabric.•The utilization of nano-scale pigment suspension eliminate the need for organic solvent, making it an eco-friendly method.•Dyed towel fabric demonstrated good dyeing permeability, levelness, and functionality.•The dyed towel fabric aligned with the current trend of promoting healthy and environmentally-friendly development.