**Natural Dye from Eucalyptus Leaves and Application for Wool Fabric Dyeing by Using Padding Techniques**

Rattanaphol Mongkholrattanasit1, Jiří Kryštůfek2, Jakub Wiener2 and Jarmila Studničková2

*1Department of Textile Chemistry Technology, Faculty of Industrial Textile and Fashion Design, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, 2Department of Textile Chemistry, Faculty of Textile Engineering, Technical University of Liberec, Liberec, 1Thailand 2Czech Republic* 

#### **1. Introduction**

56 Natural Dyes

Tiwari V, B Ghorpade, A Mishra and P S Vankar, *New Cloth Market*, 14 (1), (2000b), 23

Tiwari H C, Singh P, Mishra P K & Srivastava P, *Indian J Fibre & Text Res*, 35 (9) (2010) 272 Vankar P S, Tiwari V & Ghorpade B, in Proceeding of convention of Natural Dyes edited by

Deepti Gupta & M.L Gulrajani, Department of Textile Technology, IIT Delhi, 2001,

Teli M D & Paul R , *International Dyers*, 191 (4) (2006) 29.

Verma N & Gupta N P, *Colourage*, 42 (7) (1995) 27.

Zippel E , *Rev Prog Color*, 34 (2004) 1.

Yu B , Wu Q & Yu L, *International dyers*, 190 (5) (2005) 23.

Vastard J, Shailaja D & Mamatha A, *Indian Text J*, 109 (7) (1999) 68.

53.

Natural dyes are known for their use in colouring of food substrate, leather, wood as well as natural fibers like wool, silk, cotton and flax as major areas of application since ancient times. Natural dyes have a wide range of shades that can be obtained from various parts of plants, including roots, bark, leaves, flowers and fruits (Allen, 1971). Since the advent of widely available and cheaper synthetic dyes in 1856 having moderate to excellent colour fastness properties, the use of natural dyes having poor to moderate wash and light fastness has declined to a great extent. However, recently there has been revival of the growing interest on the application of natural dyes on natural fibers due to worldwide environmental consciousness (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009). Although this ancient art of dyeing with natural dyeing with natural dyes withstood the ravages of time, a rapid decline in natural dyeing continued due to the wide available of synthetic dyes at an economical price. However, even after a century, the use of natural dyes never erodes completely and they are still being used. Thus, natural dyeing of different textiles and leathers has been continued mainly in the decentralized sector for specialty products along with the use of synthetic dyes in the large scale sector for general textiles owing to the specific advantages and limitations of both natural dyes and synthetic dyes. The use of non-toxic and ecofriendly natural dyes on textiles has become a matter of significant importance because of the increased environmental awareness in order to avoid some hazardous synthetic dyes. However, worldwide the use of natural dyes for the colouration of textiles has mainly been confined to craftsman, small scale dyers and printers as well as small scale exporters and producers dealing with high valued ecofriendly textile production and sales (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009; Bechtold & Mussak, 2009; Vankar, 2007). Recently, a number of commercial dyers and small textile export houses have started looking at the possibilities of using natural dyes for regular basis dyeing and printing of textiles to overcome environmental pollution caused by

Natural Dye from Eucalyptus Leaves and

Application for Wool Fabric Dyeing by Using Padding Techniques 59

fabrics. Silk dyed with an aqueous extract of eucalyptus leaves and bark possessing a mordant compound displays a yellowish-brown colour. An exception was when the fabric was dyed with ferrous mordant, resulting in a shade of dark brownish-grey. Colour fastness to water, washing, and perspiration was at good to very good levels, whereas colour fastness to light and rubbing exhibited fair to good levels (Mongkholrattanasit et al.,

O

O

O

**<sup>4</sup> 1 0**

**1 2**

OH

**5**

**CA**

**9 8 7**

HO

HO

Gallic acid Ellagic acid (C.I. 75270)

HO

**6**

OH

**<sup>9</sup>** O

Quercetin (C.I. 75670) Rutin (C.I. 75730)

Currently, application of natural dye incorporates new technology not only to exploit traditional techniques but also to improve the rate, cost and consistency production. It therefore, requires some special measurement to ensure evenness in dyeing. The processes

Efficient extraction of the dyes from plant material is very important for standardization and optimization of vegetable dyes, utilizing a) soxhlet b) supercritical fluid extraction c)

Normally, one technique used for dyeing with natural dye; exhaustion dyeing (conventional dyeing, sonicator dyeing and microwave dyeing). Exhaustion dyeing is using lot of water as

O

OH

OH

**3 '**

**B**

**6 '**

**1 ' 2 '**

**3**

OC12H21O9

**4 ' 5 '**

OH

OH

O

2007; Mongkholrattanasit et al., 2010; Mongkholrattanasit et al., 2011 ).

OH

OH

**3 '**

**4 ' 5 '**

**B**

**6 '**

**1 ' 2 '**

**3**

**2**

OH

Fig. 1. Colour composition of eucalyptus leaf extract dye

of natural dyes for textile dyeing are as follows:

subcritical water extraction and d) sonicator method.

OH

O

**1**

O

OH

**3. Using of natural dyes** 

**A C**

**8**

**5 4**

**1 0**

O OH

OH

HO

**6**

**3.1 Extraction** 

**3.2 Dyeing** 

**7**

the synthetic dyes (Glover & Pierce, 1993). Natural dyes produce very uncommon, soothing and soft shades as compared to synthetic dyes. On the other hand, synthetic dyes are widely available at an economical price and produce a wide variety of colours; these dyes however produce skin allergy, toxic wastes and other harmfulness to human body. There are a small number of companies that are known to produce natural dyes commercially. For example, de la Robbia, which began in 1992 in Milan, produces water extracts of natural dyes such as weld, chlorophyll, logwood, and cochineal under the Eco-Tex certifying system, and supplies the textile industry. In USA, Allegro Natural Dyes produces natural dyes under the Ecolour label for textile industry (Hwang et al., 2008). Aware of the Toxic Substance Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, they claim to have developed a mordant using a nontoxic aluminium formulation and biodegradable auxiliary substance. In Germany, Livos Pflanzenchemie Forschungs and Entwicklungs GmbH marked numerous natural products. In France, Bleu de Pastel sold an extract of woad leaves. Rubia Pigmenta Naturalia is The Netherlands company, which manufactures and sells vegetable dyes. There are several small textile companies using natural dyes. India is still a major producer of most natural dyed textiles (Vankar, 2007). Production of synthetic dyes is dependent on petrochemical source, and some of synthetic dyes contain toxic or carcinogenic amines which are not ecofriendly (Hunger, 2003). Moreover, the global consumption of textiles is estimated at around 30 million tonnes, which is expected to grow at the rate of 3% per annum. The colouration of this huge quantity of textiles needs around 700,000 tonnes of dyes which causes release of a vast amount of unused and unfixed synthetic colourants into the environment (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009). This practice cannot be stopped, because consumers always demand coloured textiles for eye-appeal, decoration and even for aesthetic purposes. Moreover, such a huge amount of required textiles materials cannot be dyed with natural dyes alone. Hence, the use of eco-safe synthetic dyes is also essential. But a certain portion of coloured textiles can always be supplemented and managed by eco-safe natural dyes (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009; Vankar, 2007). However, all natural dyes are not ecofriendly. There may be presence of heavy metals or some other form of toxicity in natural dye. So, the natural dyes also need to be tested for toxicity before their use (Vankar, 2007).

#### **2. Natural organic dyes from eucalyptus**

Eucalyptus is a members of evergreen hardwood genus, endemic to Australian. There are approximately nine hundred species and sub-species. Eucalyptus has also been successfully grown in many parts of the world, including southern Europe, Asia and the west coast of the United States (Flint, 2007). Eucalyptus is one of the most important sources of natural dye that gives yellowish-brown colourants. The colouring substance of eucalyptus has ample natural tannins and polyphenols varying from 10% to 12% (Ali et al., 2007). The major colouring component of eucalyptus bark is quercetin, which is also an antioxidant. It has been used as a food dye with high antioxidant properties (Vankar et al., 2006). Eucalyptus leaves contain up to 11% of the major components of tannin (gallic acid [3,4,5 – trihydroxybenzoic acid], with ellagic acid [2,3,7,8-tetrahydroxy (1) benzopyrano (5,4,3-cde) (1) benzopyran-5,10-dione]) and flavonoids (quercetin [3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxylflavone] and rutin 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxylflavone-3-rhamnoglucoside]) as the minor components (Chapuis-Lardy et al., 2002; Conde et al., 1997). The structures of the colouring components found in eucalyptus leaves are given in Fig. 1. Tannins and flavonoids are considered very useful substances during the dyeing process because of their ability to fix dyes within

the synthetic dyes (Glover & Pierce, 1993). Natural dyes produce very uncommon, soothing and soft shades as compared to synthetic dyes. On the other hand, synthetic dyes are widely available at an economical price and produce a wide variety of colours; these dyes however produce skin allergy, toxic wastes and other harmfulness to human body. There are a small number of companies that are known to produce natural dyes commercially. For example, de la Robbia, which began in 1992 in Milan, produces water extracts of natural dyes such as weld, chlorophyll, logwood, and cochineal under the Eco-Tex certifying system, and supplies the textile industry. In USA, Allegro Natural Dyes produces natural dyes under the Ecolour label for textile industry (Hwang et al., 2008). Aware of the Toxic Substance Act and the Environmental Protection Agency, they claim to have developed a mordant using a nontoxic aluminium formulation and biodegradable auxiliary substance. In Germany, Livos Pflanzenchemie Forschungs and Entwicklungs GmbH marked numerous natural products. In France, Bleu de Pastel sold an extract of woad leaves. Rubia Pigmenta Naturalia is The Netherlands company, which manufactures and sells vegetable dyes. There are several small textile companies using natural dyes. India is still a major producer of most natural dyed textiles (Vankar, 2007). Production of synthetic dyes is dependent on petrochemical source, and some of synthetic dyes contain toxic or carcinogenic amines which are not ecofriendly (Hunger, 2003). Moreover, the global consumption of textiles is estimated at around 30 million tonnes, which is expected to grow at the rate of 3% per annum. The colouration of this huge quantity of textiles needs around 700,000 tonnes of dyes which causes release of a vast amount of unused and unfixed synthetic colourants into the environment (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009). This practice cannot be stopped, because consumers always demand coloured textiles for eye-appeal, decoration and even for aesthetic purposes. Moreover, such a huge amount of required textiles materials cannot be dyed with natural dyes alone. Hence, the use of eco-safe synthetic dyes is also essential. But a certain portion of coloured textiles can always be supplemented and managed by eco-safe natural dyes (Samanta & Agarwal, 2009; Vankar, 2007). However, all natural dyes are not ecofriendly. There may be presence of heavy metals or some other form of toxicity in natural dye. So, the natural dyes also need to be tested for toxicity before their use (Vankar, 2007).

Eucalyptus is a members of evergreen hardwood genus, endemic to Australian. There are approximately nine hundred species and sub-species. Eucalyptus has also been successfully grown in many parts of the world, including southern Europe, Asia and the west coast of the United States (Flint, 2007). Eucalyptus is one of the most important sources of natural dye that gives yellowish-brown colourants. The colouring substance of eucalyptus has ample natural tannins and polyphenols varying from 10% to 12% (Ali et al., 2007). The major colouring component of eucalyptus bark is quercetin, which is also an antioxidant. It has been used as a food dye with high antioxidant properties (Vankar et al., 2006). Eucalyptus leaves contain up to 11% of the major components of tannin (gallic acid [3,4,5 – trihydroxybenzoic acid], with ellagic acid [2,3,7,8-tetrahydroxy (1) benzopyrano (5,4,3-cde) (1) benzopyran-5,10-dione]) and flavonoids (quercetin [3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxylflavone] and rutin 3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxylflavone-3-rhamnoglucoside]) as the minor components (Chapuis-Lardy et al., 2002; Conde et al., 1997). The structures of the colouring components found in eucalyptus leaves are given in Fig. 1. Tannins and flavonoids are considered very useful substances during the dyeing process because of their ability to fix dyes within

**2. Natural organic dyes from eucalyptus** 

fabrics. Silk dyed with an aqueous extract of eucalyptus leaves and bark possessing a mordant compound displays a yellowish-brown colour. An exception was when the fabric was dyed with ferrous mordant, resulting in a shade of dark brownish-grey. Colour fastness to water, washing, and perspiration was at good to very good levels, whereas colour fastness to light and rubbing exhibited fair to good levels (Mongkholrattanasit et al., 2007; Mongkholrattanasit et al., 2010; Mongkholrattanasit et al., 2011 ).

Fig. 1. Colour composition of eucalyptus leaf extract dye
