Utilization of Natural Dyes from Marigold and Rose for Colour Improvement in Dry Flower Technology

Abstract

Natural dyes from floral waste offer a sustainable alternative to synthetic colourants in dry flower technology. This study aimed to explore the utilization of natural dyes from marigold and rose for enhancing colour quality in dry flower technology, by assessing the impact of dip dyeing, spraying after drying, and absorption dyeing on colour absorption, strength, and fastness characteristics. Dyes were extracted through microwave-assisted aqueous extraction (marigold) and solvent extraction (rose), and treatments were arranged in a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. Colour absorption, colour strength, light fastness, rubbing fastness, and wash fastness were assessed using a hedonic scoring scale and analysed via the Kruskal Wallis test. Dip dyeing method consistently resulted in the highest colour uptake and fastness due to superior pigment penetration into petal tissues. Spraying after drying produced moderate colouration but poor rubbing and wash fastness owing to superficial dye deposition, while absorption dyeing showed minimal effectiveness due to limited vascular dye transport. Overall, dip dyeing emerged as the most efficient method for achieving uniform and stable colouration in dried marigold and rose flowers using natural dyes derived from floral waste.