The role of natural dyes in the UV protection of fabrics made of vegetable fibres

The safest protection from ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is offered by textiles including various apparels, accessories such as hats and shade structures such as umbrellas. Their protectiveness depends on fabric composition, (natural, artificial or synthetic fibres), fabric construction (porosity, weight and thickness) and dyeing (natural or synthetic dyes, dye concentration, UV-absorbing properties, etc.). In this study the UV-protection properties were investigated on fabrics made of vegetable fibres (cotton, flax, hemp and ramie), with different construction parameters (drapery and apparel fabrics), dyed with some of the most common natural dyes. The effect of a tannins-based mordant (the galls of Quercus infectoria) on UV-protection capacity was also tested. UV radiation transmittance of fabrics was measured by two methods: one based on the utilisation of a spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere (in vitro test), and the other based on outdoor measurements taken by a spectroradiometer. Transmittance measurements were used to calculate the Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF).Our results revealed that thick and dense (cover factor, CF > 94%) drapery fabrics made of vegetable fibres usually showed good UV-protection levels even if undyed. The use of the tannins-based mordant increased, even without dyeing, the UV-protection level up to the very good and/or excellent protection categories when fabric construction was suitable. Dyeing did not further increase the protection level.Lighter fabrics, usually used for apparel, even showed high UV-protection level after just dyeing, provided that CF was above 94%.Taking into account the high concentrations of dyes used in the present work and the utilisation of mordants containing tannins, slight differences in UV-protection capacity were detected among natural dyes tested and between the two different methods of transmittance measurement. However, UV-protection category defined from outdoor measurements was often higher than that calculated by the in vitro test, indicating an underestimation of the actual protection level of tested fabrics assessed by the latter.

► We investigated the UV-protection properties of natural fabrics dyed with natural dyes.
► We investigated the UV-protection properties of tannin-based mordants in the dyeing procedure.
► Thick and dense natural fabrics usually showed good UV protection even if undyed.
► Lighter fabrics even showed high UV protection after just dyeing, cover factor permitting.
► The use of the tannins-based mordant increased, even without dyeing, the UV protection.