The high cost of producing synthetic dyes for the textile industry calls for alternative sources.  This project aimed to produce powder dye from coconut lumber sawdust.

Coconut lumber sawdust was obtained from a lumberyard.  Moisture content of the sawdust was analyzed and the sawdust was divided into replicates of 400 grams each.  Two of the replicates were boiled in water for one hour while the other two were boiled for two hours.  The filtrates from the setups were dried to produce the dye.

Percentage yield was determined.  The dyes were tested on silk and cotton cloths using alum and copper sulfate as mordants.  The dyed fabric were then washed in soap and were graded for degree of bleeding and staining on a multifiber strip.  The dyes had greater affinity to silk than cotton.  Copper sulfate is a better mordant for the dye than alum.  The extraction method of boiling for one hour was found as the practical method since it took a shorter time.