In India specially in West Bengal, a huge amount of flowers are wasted everyday. A survey report reveals that among India, West Bengal is in 4^th position to cultivate flowers after Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka & Tamilnadu. Another survey report on area & production of flowers in West Bengal (03-04) shows that in West Bengal, 4.104 hactor Areas are used for cultivation of marigold flower & almost 33.099 tonees of

flowers are produced in year 03-04. For China rose it is 2.71 hactor area & 43.557 tonnes. Survey reports also reveals that almost 40% flowers are unsold of total flower production and wasted which are thrown in water of Ganga river or any other places which creates water pollution.

But these flowers can be used to extract dye which can be used as natural floral dye for colouring textile fibre. These natural dye are cost effective, eco-friendly & renewable and has no allergic action on skin.

The main objectives of the work are:

1)    Extraction of natural dye from flowers like Marigold, China rose, Balsam, Bixa etc by efficient process for colouration of textile fibre.

2)    Using natural dye in spite of chemical dye so that environmental pollution due to chemical dye can be restricted.

3)    Using these dye in Textile Industry for colouring the Fibre

4)    Using these dye in Food Industry.

5)    Using these dye for making colourful Candles

6)    To help the Flower cultivator & village below poverty people who can earn using these technology.

Natural floral dye characteristics:

Majorities of the natural dyes are having the hydroxyl group⁴ in its nucleus & they are sparingly soluble in water. Increase in solubility may be achieved by adding alkali such as Sodium carbonate to the aqueous solution. Some of the natural colourants⁵ dont have a solubilising group in which case a temporary solubility group is generated at time of application.

For a substance to act as dye, certain condition must be fulfilled:-

i)        It must have a suitable colour.

ii)       It must be able to fix or must be capable of being fixed to fabric.

iii)      It must not be fugitive after fixing on fabric to be dyed.

The flower contain many chemical substances: Carbohydrates, minerals, mucilage, vitamins (especially riboflavin, thiamin), pigments including crocin, anthrocvianin, carotene, lycopene, zigzantin etc.

Materials, methods & discussions:

Yarn & Fabric: Bleached cotton fabric is used for the studies.

Aqueous Extract of colour from fresh Flowers⁶:

Dye from different flowers are extracted separately in the proportion of 1:2 of flower by aqueous extraction and the extraction process is carried out at a temperature range of 80 - 85 ⁰C for 1 hour. Colouring materials from the flowers are extracted to dyeing the fibre. After the extraction procedure is complete, the flowers are taken out from liquor and they are taken for extraction of dye for second time. Experimentally it is seen that at temperature range 80⁰ 90⁰C & time 1 hr, the extraction is better, so this is the optimized time & temperature for extraction process.

Mordanting of Textile Fibre:

The sample of cotton is mordanted before dyeing. For mordanting we use different mordanting agents like Alum, Copper Sulphate, Ferrous Sulphate, Stannous Chloride, Chrome-Alum etc have been used. The fibre is mordanted for 1 hr at the temperature range 80 - 85 ⁰C. After mordanting, the samples of clothes are taken out, squeezed and then immersed in the dye bath.

Procedure of Dyeing of cloth:

The mordanting samples are immersed in dye bath for 2 hr at a temperature range of 80 ⁰C and after completion of dyeing; samples are taken out and dried. It is allowed to be aged for a fixed time, and after that soaped with 2g/l non-ionic soap at room temperature for 10 minutes followed by rinsing and line dyeing.