Bulk industrial production of sustainable cellulosic printing fabric using agricultural waste to reduce the impact of climate change

Abstract

In this research paper, a novel process was developed for reactive printing of cotton fabric, with the objective of producing a high-quality printed fabric that is sustainable, eco-friendly, and low-cost which will ultimately reduce the impact of climate change. The study incorporated substituted tamarind polysaccharide (STP) obtained from agricultural waste, trichloro-ethanoic acid (TCEA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) in the reactive printing paste. Tamarind starch was extracted from the seeds having 72 % yield, and substitution was performed to use it as a thickener in the printing paste. The conventional printing system was formulated with sodium alginate, urea, and sodium bicarbonate at dose levels of 2 %, 15 %, and 2.5 %, respectively, while the modified recipe was formulated with STP and TCEA at 5 % and 3 % dose levels, respectively along with varying doses of PEG-400 (0 %, 1 %, and 2 %) in novel prints. Various factors such as shade comparison, penetration, staining on the white ground, washing, rubbing, light and perspiration fastness, sharpness of edges, and fabric hardness were evaluated for all the recipes. The study demonstrated that the optimal outcomes were obtained with a 2 % PEG-400 dose level. This study represents a significant contribution to sustainable textile production, as tamarind agriculture waste was used as a raw material, which is an environmentally friendly alternative of sodium alginate that reduces the wastewater load. Additionally, PEG-400 was utilized as a nitrogen-free solubilizing moisture management substitution of urea for printing, while TCEA dissociated at high temperature to make alkaline pH during curing of the printed fabric to replace sodium bicarbonate. This research is a novel contribution to the printing industry, as these three constituents have not been previously used together other than this research group, in the history of reactive printing.