The optimization of novel nanocellulose gel-reactive dye coating for textile applications.

The conventional dyeing process which is practiced mostly in our textile industry to dye cotton has a high amount of water consumption and consequently releases a massive amount of wastewater which leads to economic cost, and environmental impact associated with the removal of reactive dye from the effluent. Nanocellulose gel, when combined with a reactive dye, can be applied as a coating to cotton fabric. This novel dyeing approach significantly reduces water usage, generation of wastewater, and treatment costs. The study suggests that the application of nanocellulose gel-dye coating to cotton fabrics improves the colorfastness of the fabrics. However, dyenanocellulose gel coating also lightens the fabric color. Therefore, the gel to dye ratio, in grams/milliliter, must be retained roughly under 0.40 to yield the same color as fabric dyed directly without a nanocellulose coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]