| Summary: | In hospitals, doctors’ and patients’ uniforms, as well as bedding and textiles, can be carriers of superbacteria. This study was conducted to test the anti-superbacterial activity of cotton fabrics dyed with extracts of <i>Chamaecyparis obtusa</i> (<i>C. obtusa</i>). The dye was extracted by boiling <i>C. obtusa</i> in water. The test cotton was mordant-dyed three times with the solution at a 1:17 dyeing bath ratio and at an 8.69% (o.w.f) dye concentration for 15 min at 40 °C. <i>C. obtusa</i> dyeing demonstrated a high dyeing affinity in the absence of mordant (K/S value = 14.62). The K/S value of the dyed fabric increased in the order of Cu-mordanted, Fe-mordanted, non-mordanted, and Al-mordanted cotton. Dry cleaning, perspiration and rubbing fastness were determined to be good (Grade 4–5). The dyed fabrics appeared to have a high deodorizing ability compared to the control fabric. They showed not only antibacterial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (<i>S. aureus)</i> and <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> (<i>K. pneumoniae</i>), known to be frequently found in fabrics, but also higher antibacterial activity against the superbacteria methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) (reduced by 99.7%). These results suggest that fabric dyed with <i>C. obtusa</i> extract may be used in clothes and bed linens for inpatients, given its high anti-superbacterial activity. Furthermore, such fabrics may contribute to inhibiting pathogenic infections when used in hospital uniforms or operation gowns for doctors or nurses in hospitals.
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