Chitosan as a cationizing agent in pigment dyeing of cotton fabric

Pigment dyeing has gained popularity because it eliminates the need for post-dyeing treatments such as rinsing, neutralization, and washing. Exhaust pigment dyeing demands cotton fiber cationization, often achieved with synthetic agents. This study explores chitosan as a sustainable alternative for cationizing cotton for pigment dyeing. Chitosan has certain advantageous properties that set it apart from synthetic cationic compounds, including biocompatibility and non-toxicity. Cotton fabric was cationized using chitosan at different concentrations and the cationized fabric was subsequently dyed at 3 % shade with pigment using the exhaust method. Cotton dyed with a commercial cationizer served as a comparison. The uniformity of pigment dyeing using chitosan remained unaffected, and comparable K/S values were observed when chitosan replaced the synthetic cationizing agent. Various physical and chemical properties of the dyed fabrics such as color fastness to washing, perspiration (acid and alkali), rubbing fastness, light fastness, stiffness and bursting strength were assessed. Additionally, Fourier Transform-Infrared, Fabric Hand, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, and Chemical Oxygen Demand evaluations were also carried out to examine the viability of using chitosan instead of a synthetic cationizing agent. This study demonstrates chitosan's potential as a sustainable and effective cationizing agent for pigment dyeing.