Dyeing Recipe Parameters and Fastness Properties of Fabrics Dyed with Artisanal Vat Dyes in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63996/njte.v25i2.116Keywords:
vat dyeing, occupational dyers, Kano , metropolis, caustic soda, hydros, recipe standardizationAbstract
Artisanal vat dyeing in historic urban hubs such as Kano metropolis, Nigeria, remains a vital socio-economic enterprise. However, local operations rely heavily on empirical, unstandardized chemical recipes that frequently compromise colourfastness performance and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated the operational dyeing parameters-specifically, temperature, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and sodium dithionite (hydros) concentrations, across 18 commercial dyehouses in Kano, assessing their direct impact on colourfastness. Statistical analysis using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s HSD post hoc tests was conducted to quantify parameter variability within individual facilities (intra-dyehouse) and between different facilities (inter-dyehouse), benchmarking operational practices against a laboratory-optimized reference baseline. Colourfastness to washing and perspiration were determined according to ISO standard test protocols. Statistical results revealed significant variance (p˂0.05) in reagent concentrations both within individual dyehouses across different production batches and between distinct facilities. Field evaluations revealed severe operational chemical imbalances and uncalibrated thermal regimes, resulting in poor washing and perspiration fastness ratings (Grades 2-3) across multiple commercial workshops. Conversely, benchmarking local practices against a laboratory-optimized control recipe elevated washing, acidic perspiration, and alkaline perspiration fastness to maximum Grade 5 ratings. Standardizing local recipes to this optimized baseline cuts caustic soda expenditure by over 50%, reduces thermal energy requirements, conserves process water, mitigates toxic effluent loading and provides a scalable operational framework to enhance the commercial value of Kano textiles for domestic and export markets.
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