Sustainability in the Textile Sector: Wool Dyeing with Protein Hydrolysate from Black Soldier Fly

The textile industries mostly rely on synthetic dyes, which contains nonbiodegradable components and high toxicity make its use environmentally hazardous. The present research delves into the unique application of proteins extracted Black Soldier Fly (BSF), as a natural dyes for wool fabrics. The hydrolyzed proteins extracted from each insect material (larvae, cocoons and flies) using superheated water at 170 °C for 1 h were used as natural dyes for dyeing wool fabrics with and without mordant (ferrous sulfate, 5% o.w.f.). Fabrics treated with mordant-free protein hydrolysate derived from cocoons showed best results with an increase in color strength (K/S value) from 0.43 to 2.78 with an increasing dye concentration from 2% to 50% o.w.f. . Color fastness to washing shows that dyed fabrics undergo variable color changes (from grade 4 to grade 1) but release little dye onto other fabrics, especially wool and synthetic fibers. Dry and wet rubbing color fastness tests showed overall variable color fastness, with little color loss on the abraded reference fabric. Overall, this work highlights the potential of protein hydrolysate from BSF as a natural and environmentally friendly dye, which may represent a promising alternative to synthetic dyes in the textile industry.