Coloration is a key feature in the textile industry that adds value to the final apparels. This coloration of textile products is done by conventional methods which involve huge amounts of water pollution and wastages of textile colourants. Several approaches have been taken to eliminate these issues by advanced dyeing methods, however, due to process complexity advanced dyeing methods are still inconvenient on an industrial scale. Recently, involvement of nanotechnology via nanofibre or nano‐colourants has drawn attention to the textile coloration field as these approaches are feasible with conventional textile coloration methods. Adding to that, reducing the wastage of textile colourants and wastewater pollution, and enhancing colour strength and better colour fastness properties by applying nanotechnology in coloration opens new dimensions. Previously, some studies have been done on nanofibre synthesis methods and application of nano‐chemicals for enhancing the functional properties, but less attention has been put on textile coloration efficiency enhancement by applying nanofibre or nano‐colourants. Therefore, this study emphasised on discussing nanofibres and nano‐colourants synthesis by different approaches for textile purposes, dye–fibre interaction during textile coloration, and their impact on textile coloration performances—how those nanomaterials enhance the colour appearance and durability in textile fabrics, and the challenges that needs to be considered for bulk textile coloration.
Synthetic dyes are widely used in textile dyeing due to their low cost and availability, but they cause significant environmental pollution and require high water consumption. Although natural dyes offer a sustainable alternative, they often need mordants and exhibit poor fastness properties. This study explores a waterless textile coloration of electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers doped with weld dye, with conventionally dyed CA used as a control. Characterization through CIE L*a*b*, K/S, SEM, and FTIR analyses confirmed dye incorporation, with evidence of molecular-level interaction within the nanofibers. The dope-dyed nano-CA exhibited a yellow shade, though with lower intensity than conventional dyeing. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential of dope dyeing as a sustainable alternative to traditional textile coloration.