Abstract:

The aim of the present work was to assess an eco friendly natural antimicrobial textile finish extracted from Aloe gel and Neem plants. Extracted Aloe gel and active substance of Neem were mixed in a mordant to form a finish. Bleached cotton samples were treated with 5, 7, and 10% concentrations of Aloe gel and Neem separately. The same samples were then treated with a hybrid combination of Aloe gel and Neem (HCAN) extracts having 5, 7 and 10% concentrations. These finished samples were subjected to an antibacterial activity test against E. coli and S. aureus, an antifungal activity test against Aspergillus Niger, and  a test of their durability of antibacterial finish fastness to washing by standard test methods. It was found that the hybrid combination of Aloe gel and Neem (HCAN) was an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent as compared to Aloe gel and Neem separately. It also showed good durability to washing.