Turning Natural Colour into Sustainable Fashion: A New Red-Ox-Free Discharge Printing Technology has been granted Indian Patent.
Dr Harshal Patil and Prof Ashok Athalye of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Department of Fibres and Textile Processing Technology, Mumbai, achieved a significant advancement in sustainable textile printing with the grant of Indian Patent No. 602577 on September 15, 2026 for their innovation titled “Red-Ox Free Low-Temperature Discharge Printing Method for Marigold flower extracted colourant.”
The patented technology presents a new approach to creating a discharge effect on naturally dyed textiles using marigold flower extract, while eliminating dependence on synthetic, environmentally harmful reducing/oxidising chemicals and energy-intensive high-temperature steaming. The innovation addressed a crucial challenge in sustainable textile processing: how to retain the environmental advantage of natural colourants while developing attractive, commercially viable printed designs through an eco-friendly process.
The process begins with extracting colour from marigold flowers and dyeing a cellulosic textile substrate. A specially formulated alkaline discharge paste is subsequently applied through screen printing. Unlike conventional discharge printing routes that require high-temperature treatment, the patented process allows the printed fabric to undergo colour discharge at ambient temperature. The results demonstrate the process’s potential to produce distinct discharge patterns from marigold-dyed fabrics without conventional redox chemistry and steaming.
The significance of this innovation extends beyond a single printing technique. Natural dyes are increasingly associated with sustainable, value-added textile products, yet their integration into modern textile printing poses a technical challenge. This patented technology creates an opportunity to combine natural colouration with contemporary discharge-printing aesthetics, potentially opening new avenues for sustainable fashion, home textiles and decorative textile applications.
The inventors are now working on industrial scale-up and commercial validation of the technology. Future work will include evaluating the process on different textile substrates and natural colourants, optimizing printing parameters and exploring collaborations with textile manufacturers and garment brands for potential technology implementation. The patent represents another step towards translating green textile chemistry research into practical industrial solutions, to contribute to the next generation of sustainable textile processing.