Author(s): Sunita Boruah and Dr. B Baishya Kalita

Abstract:
An investigation was carried out to find out the printing effect of turmeric (Curcuma longa) dye paste on colour fastness and physical properties of eri silk fabric. For the experiment two traditional designs were printed by using natural printing paste of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) dye on eri silk fabric. The printed samples were evaluated visually and with the help of Grey Scale for determining the colour fastness properties, general appearance, texture, brilliancy of colour, clarity of design, sharpness of design outline and dye penetration in design. Colour fastness to washing and sunlight found excellent in mordant sample with ferrous sulphate for both designs, colour fastness to crocking was found better for stannous chloride and ferrous sulphate mordanted sample in dry conditions and ferrous sulphate mordanted sample in wet condition for both designs. In pressing colour fastness retained cent per cent in dry and wet condition for both design of all mordanted samples. All printed samples found to be fine to medium texture and good to fair in general appearance of both designs. Mordanted samples of ferrous sulphate of both designs found to be good in high brilliancy of colour, clarity of design, and sharpness of design outline and dye penetration in design. From the experiment it was found that all the printed samples exhibited an increasing trend in crease recovery angle, abrasion resistance, stiffness of fabric. The samples mordanted with alum exhibited the better result in respect of all the physical properties compared to the other printed samples.