Eco-friendly dyeing of polyester with natural colorants extracted from jackfruit wood shavings: Insights into fabric performance, chromatic parameters, and flame retardancy

Abstract

Growing environmental concerns associated with petroleum-based synthetic dyes have intensified the demand of sustainable natural colorants for textile applications. This research evaluates jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) wood shavings, an underutilized agricultural byproduct, as a renewable dye source for polyester dyeing, including its dual significance in waste valorization and environmentally sustainable processing. The colorant was extracted through alkaline extraction at 100 °C for 60 min, and polyester fabrics were subsequently dyed under systematically varied dyeing process parameters, including time (20–120 min), temperature (80–160 °C), and pH (4, 7, 9). FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of characteristic polyester bands alongside additional absorption features, indicative of interactions between dye constituents and the fiber surface. Dyeing induced measurable modifications in fabric performance, including reduced air permeability attributable to surface deposition and limited moisture transfer as evidenced by near-zero bottom-surface wetting and a negative one-way transport index. Chromatic assessment demonstrated that dyeing parameters significantly influenced chromatic parameters, with maximum color strength reaching (K/S) 10.39. Samples dyed at 140 °C for 100 min exhibited enhanced flame retardancy (29.1 s) and excellent wash, rubbing, light, and perspiration fastness (ratings 4–5). Acidic pH improved wash fastness, whereas neutral pH yielded superior rubbing, light, and perspiration resistance. The findings establish jackfruit wood shavings as a promising sustainable colorant capable of imparting functional and aesthetic value to polyester textiles.