INVESTIGATION OF WICKING PROPERTIES OF NATURALLY-DYED LINEN FABRICS

The usage of natural dyes for textile products attracts great attention on eco-friendly production and utilization concept for the consumers. In this study, linen fabrics were dyed with four different natural dyes from madder root, henna, buckthorn and walnut shell. The dyeing was carried out with different mordants (iron sulphate, copper sulphate, potassium aluminum sulphate and tartaric acid), using pre-mordanting dyeing methods. The dyeing performance of the fabrics was investigated in terms of color strength (K/S) and light, washing, rubbing, and perspiration fastness properties. The color strength and fastness properties of the dyed linen fabrics were within the evaluation range from good to excellent. The effect of natural dyeing on wicking and drying properties of linen woven fabrics were further evaluated for better understanding of such processes on the comfort related properties such as vertical wicking and drying speed of fabrics. Contact angle measurement test was also performed for better understanding of wicking behavior.