Effect of After-treatments on the fastness properties of cotton printed with Indian Rhubarb

The trials were undertaken to print cotton fabric with Indian Rhubarb (Rheum entodi) dye. Rice starch was optimized and used as thickener for making printing paste. Two mordants namely stannous chloride and ferrous sulphate were added separately to the printing paste to block print the fabric using pre-mordanting technique. These printed samples were dyed after optimizing the dyeing conditions. The printed and dyed samples were given after treatments with vinegar, sodium chloride, alum, citric acid and sodium carbonate at room temperature for 30 minutes by preparing 5% solution each. The effect of after treatments on printed cotton fabric was studied by comparing the CIE LAB values. It was observed that the samples printed with stannous chloride and ferrous suphate mordants, dyed with Indian Rhubarb dye and after treated with citric acid gave best results as it improved fastness properties.