Functionalization of Cotton Textiles via Screen Printing of <i>Aronia melanocarpa</i> Berry Extract–Chitosan Mixtures

The use of plant-based materials as alternatives to the hazardous synthetic chemicals traditionally employed in textile production can help create a more sustainable society; however, such materials have not been explored in sufficient detail. Herein, cotton fabrics were screen-printed with pastes containing Aronia berry extract (AE) and chitosan (CS), dried, cured, and washed. Subsequently, the printed fabrics were investigated in terms of their color, mechanical properties, and antibacterial and antioxidant activities. The obtained results revealed that AE and CS played distinctive functional roles as finishing agents in the cotton fabric treatment. The AE content in the pastes was positively correlated with a* and b* but negatively correlated with L*, and the presence of CS improved colorfastness against washing and light exposure. The fabrics printed with pastes containing ≥ 20% (w/v) AE and 2% (w/v) CS demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, while CS increased the activity resistance to washing. The fabrics printed with a paste containing 40% (w/v) AE exhibited an antioxidant capacity of ~ 70%. Thus, this study contributes to the field of sustainable textile functionalization and the use of plant extract – CS blends for screen printing.