sustainable wool dyeing: utilizing syzygium aromaticum (clove bud) extract and plant-derived mordants

Pollution from synthetic dyes and metallic mordants used in the dyeing industry is a significant environmental problem that poses risks to human, animal, and ecosystem health. this study investigates the dyeing of wool yarn using clove bud extract as a natural colorant and various bio-mordants (pomegranate rind, myrobalan, date kernel, oak bark, and pinecone) as eco-friendly alternatives to metal mordants. colorimetric properties, including l*, a*, b*, c*, h°, color strength, wash, and light fastness, were evaluated for samples dyed using the pre-mordanting, simultaneous, and post-mordanting methods. the results showed that bio-mordants, especially myrobalan, gave comparable color strength and better light fastness than metal mordants (alum). while copper sulfate led to darker shades, it resulted in lower brightness and a greenish-brown hue. bio-mordants, on the other hand, gave the dyed yarns a more reddish-yellow hue. the post-mordanting method generally produced the highest color strength, while the simultaneous method produced the lowest. the findings suggest that bio-mordants offer a promising alternative to metal mordants for dyeing wool yarn with clove bud extract, providing a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to textile dyeing.