Researchers Isolated Enzyme for Sustainable Textile Dyeing
A new fungal laccase offers a non-toxic alternative for fixing natural dyes to cotton and viscose fabrics.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Chemistry
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Researchers have identified a laccase enzyme derived from the fungus Trichoderma viride lac418, which was isolated from rotten wood. This research-stage finding offers a potential path to replace toxic mordants used in industrial textile dye fixation.
Why it matters
Traditional textile dyeing relies on mordants—chemical substances used to fix dyes—that are often toxic or carcinogenic. Developing bio-based alternatives like this fungal enzyme could mitigate environmental and health risks in the textile manufacturing sector.
The enzyme reaches maximum activity at 60 °C and pH 5.0, with an activation energy of 7.7 kJ/mol. In laboratory tests, a 2:1 dye-to-enzyme ratio proved effective for improving color affinity on cotton and viscose fibers.
The players
Trichoderma viride lac418
A specific fungal strain isolated from rotten wood that produces a laccase enzyme for textile dye fixation.
NCBI GenBank
A public, open-access database maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information that catalogs genetic sequences.
The details
Laccases are enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of natural dyes containing phenolic hydroxyl groups—a chemical structure characterized by a hydroxyl group bonded to an aromatic hydrocarbon ring. Following oxidation, the molecules undergo polymerization, creating a stable colored compound that adheres to the fabric. Binding affinity tests indicated that rutin and rosmarinic acid show the strongest interactions with this specific laccase, which is cataloged in NCBI GenBank as accession number PV594963.
Timeline
October 4, 2026: Article publication date.
The Tech Race
This finding follows a broader industry trend of sourcing industrial catalysts from fungal genomics to replace heavy-metal mordants. It builds upon the existing database of enzymatic performance metrics tracked within the NCBI GenBank infrastructure.
This development is currently in the research stage and does not impact consumer textile products today. Future integration depends on successful pilot programs demonstrating that this enzymatic dyeing process can maintain color fastness at production-scale throughput.
The takeaway
The study suggests that natural, non-toxic alternatives to industrial mordants are biochemically viable, provided they can match established reaction kinetics. Watch for follow-up studies detailing the stability of this dye-enzyme interaction under standard textile washing and wear conditions.
Further reading
Explore more developments in sustainable molecular processing on our Chemistry page.
More information
Review the technical specifications in the complete scientific research article.
Live Poll
Should manufacturers prioritize eco-friendly enzymes over traditional chemicals for textile dyeing and printing?
