Natural Rubber Latex as a Sustainable Alternative Binder for Pigment Printing of Textiles

Abstract

Pigment printing requires binder to assist adherence of pigment particles on the textile surface. The binders used industrially are synthetic types that need relatively high curing temperature (higher than 110°C), consequently, bringing about harmful environmental pollution if a proper pollution control and treatment are not taken into account. Nowadays, changes in world environmental protection scheme have been encouraging a development of sustainable textile products aiming to reduce an adverse environmental impact arising from textile production. At present, both textile manufacturers and users have increasingly seen eye to eye on using natural alternatives in substitute of the synthetic chemicals. In this research, natural rubber latex, an abundantly available natural material, was utilized as a binder to replace the commercial synthetic binder for textile pigment printing. The study was performed on the knit fabrics of cotton (single jersey and rib knits) and nylon (interlock knit). It was observed from the results that natural rubber latex added to the print paste (recipes R50, R70 and R90) exhibited a superior thickening effect (increasing viscosity) to the print paste with improved color strength and color fastness to washing obtained on the prints to those containing the synthetic binder (T®). Moreover, natural rubber latex could well also act as a binder for pigment printing by rendering adhesion of pigment onto cotton and nylon fabrics even under room-temperature drying condition (recipe NR90-2). It was not necessary to dry and cure the print at high temperature when natural rubber latex was employed. Hence, energy-and cost-saving pigment printing process could be established with this sustainable natural material.