Dyeing and Functional Finishing of Cotton Fabric Using Ficus carica and Eucalyptus Leaf Extracts with Aloe barbadensis Miller as a Bio-Mordant

This study explores the sustainable extraction and application of natural dyes from figs ( Ficus carica ) and Eucalyptus leaves using an aqueous alkaline medium. The dyeing process was optimized for cotton fabric using the exhaust-dyeing method. Fabrics dyed with Ficus carica extract and its blend with Eucalyptus exhibited enhanced color strength, excellent crocking fastness (rated 4–5), and good washing fastness (rated 3–4 on the gray scale). The use of Aloe barbadensis Miller as a bio-mordant significantly improved dye fixation, resulting in deeper, earthy shades, such as green, yellow–green, and yellowish brown. The highest K/S value (5.85) was recorded in samples treated with a mordant, sodium chloride (NaCl), and the combined dye extracts, indicating a synergistic effect among the components. Mosquito repellency tests revealed that treated fabrics exhibited up to 70% repellency, compared to just 20% in undyed samples. Antibacterial testing against E. coli showed that dyed fabrics achieved over 80% bacterial reduction after 24 h, indicating promising antimicrobial functionality. Air permeability slightly decreased post-dyeing due to the potential shrinkage in cotton fabrics. Furthermore, adsorption studies showed a removal efficiency of 57% for Ficus carica dye on graphene oxide (GO) under ultrasonication. These findings confirm the potential of GO as an effective adsorbent material for treating wastewater from natural textile dyes. Overall, the study highlights the environmental safety, functional performance, and multifunctional advantages of plant-based dyeing systems in sustainable textile applications.