Natural Indigo Dyeing by Using Glucose Reduction

Dyeing process of the natural indigo powder onto ramie and silk fabrics was investigated by using glucose and calcium hydroxide as a reducing system. Effect of reduction and dyeing conditions such as temperature and time of reduction/dyeing, and concentrations of glucose and calcium hydroxide on the dyeing process were explored. Indigo powder was obtained by drying the conventional niram paste in an oven at . Color strength of the dyed fabrics was evaluated by K/S value measured at the wavelength of maximum absorption(max). Munsell color coordinates(H V/C) were used to compare fabric colors of ramie and silk. Ramie fabric showed purple-blue color for all the temperature and time. On the contrary, silk fabric showed wide range of color including brown, brown-green, green at the different temperature. With the increase of K/S value, the coordinate of value(lightness) decreased for both of ramie and silk fabrics. The coordinate of hue(shade) changed drastically with the increase of K/S value for silk fabric, compared with that of ramie fabric which showed nearly constant value at the whole range of K/S value. Optimum concentrations of calcium hydroxide were for 6 g/L for ramie and 4 g/L for silk at and 50 min. K/S value increased with the indigo concentration. Maximum K/S value was shown at g/L of glucose concentration. For both of ramie and silk fabrics, the colorfastness of washing and light was lower than that of rubbing. All the colorfastness values were improved with the increase of color strength.