EFFECT OF ENZYMATIC TREATMENT ON THE DYEING OF COTTON AND WOOL FIBERSWITH NATURAL DYES

Cotton and wool fabrics were dyed with the natural dyes chlorophyll an d carmine after treatment with the enzymes cellulase, alpha-amylase an d trypsin. Wash and light fastnesses of the dyed samples were studied. Enzymatic pretreatment resulted in an increase in pigment uptake in a ll cases compared with the corresponding untreated samples, and did no t affect fastness properties. Pretreatment with metallic salts and dye ing of pretreated samples was also carried out and the fastness proper ties of the dyed materials were studied. The effect of conventional mo rdanting with metallic salts was compared with that of enzymatic treat ment on the dyeing properties of the dyes used.