**2.1. Materials**

Degummed and bleached plain Habotain silk fabric, and 100% mill scoured wool fabric pur‐ chased from Sherazad Com. New Zealand, were further washed with a solution containing 0.5 g/L of sodium carbonate and 2 g/L of non-ionic detergent (Nonidet ® P 40 Substitute purchased from *Sigma- Aldrich NZ. Ltd*.), keeping the material to liquor ratio at 1:50, for 30 min. at 40-45o C. The scoured materials were thoroughly washed and dried at ambient tem‐ perature. [23]

An analytical grade alum and the commercially cream of tartar were used as mordantas.
