ABSTRACT

The study examined the acceptability of indigenous dyes on cotton fabrics in Colleges of Education in South-East Nigeria. Specifically, the study extracted dyes from Curry leaf, (Murray akoenigiispreng), Roselle calyces (Hibiscus Sabdariffa) and Bitter leaf (Vernoniaamygdlina) plants. The extracted dyes were applied to cotton fabric. The colour fastness to washing and acceptability indexes of the dyes on the cotton fabric was tested. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted experimental research design. The population for the study was 83 Home Economics Lecturers from the Colleges of Education in the study area. Data were collected using fastness test rating scale (FTRS) and Acceptability Evaluation Questionnaire (AEQ). The instruments were face-validated by 5 experts and the internal consistency of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha which yielded the reliability coefficient of 0.98. Boiling, steeping and acetone organic solvent extraction techniques were used to extract dyes from plants which were applied to the cotton fabric. Fabrics were pre-mordanted with Aluminum sulfate (alum). ANOVA was used to test hypotheses at 0.05 level of significant. The result of data analysis showed that: Mordanted cotton fabric dyed with dyes extracted from curry, roselle and bitter leaf using boiling, steeping and acetone organic extraction had morderate fastness to washing, low fastness to washing and moderate fastness to washing respectively. The study also revealed that, Alum mordanted Cotton fabric samples dyed with curry and bitter leaf exhibited high wash fastness indexes while Roselle mordanted cotton fabric changed the colour from maroon to dirty blue-black colour. Alum as a mordant improves the colour fastness to washing of cotton fabric samples dyed with Curry leaves and Bitter leaf but gives dirty blue-black with Roselle dye. One of the findings implies that if this dye extraction is used in schools, teaching and learning will not only be more relevant, concrete and effective but will equip students to acquire or possess skill to excel as researchers or scientists. Again dyes may be more readily available and affordable for teaching and learning of Clothing and Textiles Education beginning from primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Recommendations were made to include: Workshops, seminars and conferences should be organized for serving clothing and textiles /Home Economics lecturers in Colleges of Education to improve their knowledge on the extraction and use of indigenous plants in dying cloths which have been found in this study to be very effective in dyeing cloths. Also Teacher Educators charged with the responsibility of training NCE teachers in Home Economics (clothing and textiles) should encourage their students to explore and utilize the plants in their environment including Curry, Roselle and Bitter leaf plants through classroom experiment and finally Home makers and Artisans or individuals who practice fabric dying of any sort should be educated by Home Economics lecturers and teachers through workshops, seminars, conferences, church and community meetings on the need to explore the plants in their communities or even their home backyard gardens including Curry, Roselle and dyes using the processes and procedures in the study.