Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Finishing on Cotton Fabric by using Stinging Nettle Leaf

Abstract

Antimicrobial Finishing prevents or inhibits the growth of microorganisms or microbes. Antimicrobials do not all work the same. The vast majority of antimicrobials work by leaching or moving from the surface on which they are appletinis is the mechanism used leaching antimicrobials to poison a microorganism. Such chemicals have been used for decades in agricultural applications with mixed results. Besides affecting durability and useful life, leaching technologies have potential to cause a variety of other problems when used in Garments. These include their negative effects because, they can contact the skin and potentially affect the normal skin bacteria, cross the skin barrier, and/or have the potential to cause rashes and other skin irritations. In this project the leaves, extracted from the stinging nettle leaves is used as an antimicrobial agent, and is applied on the fabric. Cotton fabric is used and the stinging nettle leaves extraction is applied by pad-dry-cure method. The finished fabric was assessed for the antimicrobial property.