Introduction of Natural Dye with Specific Modification A Venture in Progress for Total Quality Improvement

Abstract: Natural dye has become very popular particularly in the foreign countries owing to their eco-friendliness and environ-friendliness. A few Indian traders are doing their export business exclusively on handloom products dyed with natural dyes considering the fact that the price of the products may not be affordable for common people of our country. To encourage common people of our country, therefore, the first and foremost target is to reduce the cost of product particularly in the handloom sectors. And to do so, a few factors are extremely important. The first factor is availability of the dye throughout the year. The second factor is the cost of the dye which should be within a reasonable limit. The third one is an easy as well as economic application for simultaneous cost reduction. The fourth factor is to impart the maximum possible fastness of the dyed product, even if necessary, by modification of the extremely fugitive dyes. After long research activities concerned to those problematic factors, successful results were obtained. An innovative technique in dye extraction and subsequent preservation1 in a dense liquid form overcame the first and second factors. The third problem was solved by using standing dyeing bath and mordanting bath containing metal salts in controlled doses2 to obtain high to low depths of self shade or mixed color shade without creating pollution. The fourth problem was solved by using eco-friendly organic compounds during manufacturing the dye from TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) to achieve a light fastness of 4 or more a...