Utilization and Characterization of Cassava Starch as a Natural Thickening Agent for Reactive Dye Printing on Cotton Fabric

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> This study investigates the use of cassava root starch as a natural thickening agent for reactive dye printing on cotton fabrics, comparing its effectiveness with sodium alginate. Cassava starch was extracted and applied in various concentrations (1 g to 11 g) to examine its impact on fabric properties such as tensile strength, elongation, bending length, wash and crocking fastness, and crease recovery. The findings showed that cassava starch, particularly at concentrations between 4 g and 6 g, provided optimal tensile strength (up to 373 N in the warp direction) and acceptable elongation while maintaining good wash and crocking fastness. Although cassava starch performed comparably to sodium alginate in fastness tests, its crease recovery was slightly lower, indicating increased fabric stiffness at higher concentrations. The bending length, a measure of fabric stiffness, increased with thickener concentration, with higher levels making the fabric less flexible. The study concluded that cassava starch is a viable, sustainable alternative to synthetic thickeners for textile printing, especially when applied in moderate concentrations that balance strength, flexibility, and print quality. However, higher concentrations of cassava starch led to reduced tensile strength and increased fabric stiffness, which may limit its application in areas requiring high flexibility. Future research should explore methods to further improve the durability and clarity of cassava-starch-printed fabrics.