THE EFFECT OF MORDANTS ON PIGMENT OF TEXTILE DYEING WITH ELEPHANT’S DUNG

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of mordants on fabric dyeing using elephant dung and to examine the effect of fabric type on color absorption. Two types of fabric, muslin cloth and two kinds of raw cotton fabric, were used in the experiment. Elephant dung was first dried, boiled, and then filtered through cheesecloth. The experiment was divided into three treatment groups: Group 1 without a mordant, Group 2 with salt added, and Group 3 with alum added. Each type of fabric was immersed in the dye solution of each treatment group for one hour, air-dried, and then analyzed using a chroma meter (KONICA MINOLTA CR-400). The results showed that fabric dyed with elephant dung will produce brown fabric. The type of fabric also affected color absorption in textile dyeing using elephant dung. In particular, raw cotton fabric type 2 showed the most significant changes in color values after dyeing with elephant dung, especially when alum was used as a mordant. This treatment produced the lowest L* values and the highest a* and b* values. The effects of mordants in textile dyeing using elephant dung and the effects of fabric types on color absorption revealed that alum (aluminium potassium sulfate) was the most effective mordant for dyeing fabrics with elephant dung.