• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.882-889
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• 2008

Three fabrics, 100% silk, nylon and cotton each, were dyed with a lichen dye solution prepared by a fermentation method under conditions of varying dyebath pH and temperature. To verify the effect of chitosan on fabric dyeing, the 100% cotton fabric was treated with a chitosan solution before dyeing. The K/S, CIE $L^*$, $a^*$, $b^*$, ${\Delta}E$ and Munsell values of the dyed samples were measured. Colorfastness of each sample was also investigated. The maximum K/S value was measured at 520nm wavelength for the dyed silk fabric and at 480nm for the dyed cotton and nylon. The K/S values for the dyed silk fabric were much greater than those of the other fabrics. The dyed silk fabric showed a red tone on the Munsell color system, and the dyed nylon and cotton fabrics a yellowish red tone. Dye affinity to fabrics was better in a neutral or acidic dyebath. As dyeing temperature increased, K/S values increased for the dyed nylon and cotton fabrics but not for the silk. Dyeability of cotton fabrics could improve by Chitosan treatment. As for most natural dyes, colorfastness of all dyed samples was poor. The silk fabric showed an excellent dry cleaning fastness of Grade 5.