AN ECO-FRIENDLY DYE FOR BATIK CLOTHES: A NATURAL DYE SOLUTION MADE OF MANGO SEEDS EXTRACT (Mangifera indica L.)

Waste pollution resulting from the production process of synthetic batik dyes is against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the aspects of waste management systems and clean water. One effort to cut down the amount of pollution is the use of natural dyes for coloring batik clothes. This undertaking is not only healthy but also expected to bring in some added value economically, community empowerment, and intergenerational inheritance. This experimental research was carried out collaboratively between the Textile and Batik Craft Studio at the Indonesian University of Education, the Umymay Batik Studio, and the Yogyakarta Batik and Craft Center. A batik cloth was dyed 5 times with a mango seed extract solution as the dependent variable, then fixed with lime solution (Ca(OH)2) and Ferrous Sulfate solution (FeSO4.7H2O) as the independent variables. The dyed fabrics were tested for their colorfastness against washing and sun exposure. The results of the study: 1) The process of dyeing the batik cloth was performed through several stages, that is, by cutting the cloth with a canting stamp, dyeing the cloth, and fixing it with Ca(OH)2 and FeSO4.7H2O, the batik cloth fixed with Ca(OH)2 tended to be brown in color while the other one fixed with FeSO4.7H2O resulted in black; 2) The results of the Color Fastness Test against Washing at 40℃ on the batik cloth that has been dyed with mango seed extract fixed with Ca(OH)2 and FeSO4.7H2O were considered a good category with respective values of 4 on a scale of 5. Likewise, the results of the Color Resistance to Light: Day Light Ray Resistant Test Value with the fixation of Ca(OH)2 and FeSO4.7H2O was in the moderate category with a value of 3 each on a scale of 5. There should be a governmental policy to promote a green industry. As for batik artisans, they can utilize an eco-friendly alternative dye for batik clothes.