Application of Natural Dyes in Textile Industry (A Sustainable Approach)

Textile has played an important role in human civilization. From time immemorial, dyes have been an integral ingredient in styling any material especially fabrics by imparting various colours on to the material. Although dyes and textiles are two separate fields, many times they interfuse as a single domain due to the extensive application of dyes in textiles and fabrics. However, the wide use of synthetic dyes has started imposing an environmental threat over the years. Hence, there is an urge to switch over to natural alternatives for colouring fabrics and other materials in the textile industry. Natural dyes used in ancient times were extracted from plants and rocks. These were then soon replaced by readily available, cost-effective synthetic dyes due to their wide range of shades and textures. The growing environmental consciousness amongst consumers enforces the textile industries to shift towards natural dyes. In this chapter, a comprehensive description of the history of natural dyes, their extraction, characterisation and chemistry involved during the dyeing process is provided with a special emphasise on their use in textiles and their role in environmental sustainability.