Study on the natural dyeing of wool modified with enzyme

In this study, the natural pigment from sappan was used for the dyeing of wool fabrics after treatment with the protease and transglutaminase. The influences of protease and transglutaminase on the UV/visible absorption spectrum of aqueous extract of sappan were studied. The enzymatic modified wool was compared with non-modified wool in K/S value and fastness after direct dyeing and mordant dyeing. It was shown that protease and transglutaminase made the absorbance at the λ _max 540 nm in visible region increase. It suggested that there might be some interaction between the enzymes and sappan dye and the residual enzyme on wool fabric might affect the color of following dyeing. Compared to untreated wool, treatments with protease and transglutaminase enhance K/S value of wool dyed subsequently with sappan. Modification of protease led to some decrease in wet rubbing fastness, whereas transglutaminase had almost no influence on rubbing fastness. Enzymatic treatments have no influence on the washing fastness for samples dyed with sappan.