Antimicrobial Activity of Natural Dyes – A Comprehensive Review

The increase in environmental consciousness and the pollution issues raised by the textile industries take natural dyes from back to the front stage. The trend of the textile industry shows a gradual change from fashion to functional apparel and healthy lifestyles. Since cotton is the most preferred natural fiber for the apparel industry, most of the research attempts had been done to overcome the inherent drawbacks of poor bacterial and UV resistance. The natural dyes are loaded with an abundant amount of phytochemicals, which provide characteristic functional finishing to the textiles. This paper reviews the scientific efforts done in the field of natural dyes for obtaining antimicrobial activity. The principal phytochemicals responsible for color, antimicrobial and antifungal activity, their mode of action, method of application, and evaluation of bacterial resistance, challenges, and market potentials are also attempted to cover at the maximum possible extent.