MAKING DYES FROM LOCAL PLANTS: AN ASSESS FOR TEACHING DYEING SKILLS

V.J., Nzuta

Department of Home and Rural Economic,

Taraba State College of Agriculture Jalingo

Abstract: The study was conducted on making dyes from local pigments was carried out using natural pigments found within Zaria. An experimental study was carried out using ten selected natural pigments from Zaria, along with four local mordants for the purpose of dye extraction the major objectives of the study is making of dyes from local plants. Boiling and soaking methods were adopted for the dye extraction. On the whole forty-three different shades were got out of the experiment. On the whole the Ten (10) different pigments used includes Scale of Onions, Kola nuts, Guinea corn husk, mango bark, mango leaves, cashew bark, cashew leaves, cassia leaves and guava leaves locally obtained mordants were alum, potash, lye and common sal were used variously on the pigments. Two methods were basically employed to extract dyes from the selected pigments. These are boiling and soaking. Mordants were added to the pigments during the boiling and soaking processes. Length of white cotton was also dropped into each combination to test the color of dyes produced. The researcher further recommends that individuals as well as tie and dye companies or establishments are therefore encouraged to adopt the processes employed in this study to extract dyes from natural pigments within their environment in order to save cost and energy and students from home and rural economic departments and those willing should try out other methods of extracting dyes and as well combining different pigments and mordants to produced advanced or new colours which will serve as a literature for further academic work.

Keywords: Dyes, Extraction, Plants, Teaching, Dyeing, Skills