KUCHING: The use of natural dyes is very important in the textile industry to make the environment safer, especially for children.
In fact, many benefits are obtained by extracting natural colours from plants, fruits or flowers. These types of dyes do not contain harmful chemicals or carcinogenic components.
By using natural dyes, we help preserve the environment and reduce the dependence on harmful products because waste from textile manufacturing during the dyeing process ends up in the ocean.
Another advantage of this non-toxic alternative is that it provides greater UV absorption in the tissue or fabric used. By wearing naturally dyed clothes, we are also able to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun.
In support of such effort, the ‘Back to Nature’ programme will camp in Kuching for nine days to create public awareness on reducing the use of synthetic dyes.
Organised by the Malaysian Creative Sewing Association (PSJKM), the programme runs from 10am to 10pm at AEON Kuching Shopping Centre from Aug 6 to 14.
According to PSJKM Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak) chairman Thien Tsui Yan, the programme is also an initiative to produce entrepreneurs who are skilled in producing environmentally friendly products.
“These natural dyes are colours that are extracted and obtained from plants or animals. It is then produced on fabrics such as cotton, goat wool, do not use synthetic fabrics and so on.
“This initiative is to conserve the environment while reducing textile pollution because we know it is processed using many chemicals.
“Many fabric products can be produced, including shirts, bags, hats and others according to the creativity of the maker,” he said on Wednesday (Aug 10).
According to him, all the fabric products at the exhibition are 100 per cent natural without the use of chemicals, produced using eco printing techniques as well as natural printing.
“The technique is to give colour and pattern (motif) to the fabric using natural materials from plants such as leaves, flowers, bark and tree roots.
“Colours that are produced naturally from selected leaves such as castor leaves, lemon leaves, cherry leaves, ketapang leaves and many more.
“It is arranged according to creativity on the fabric before being rolled up and tied neatly to be steamed for two to three hours or baked in the oven for five minutes.
“Before that, the cloth used must go through a cleaning, tannin and mordant process. While fabric made from animal fibres does not need to go through the tannin process,” he explained.
He added that the technique also produced colours and patterns on the fabric that have their own uniqueness and special features.
For one of the entrepreneurs participating in the initiative, Sujina Warino from Kampung Haji Baki here, she said she had her own fans and response was encouraging.
“For me, this technique gives a satisfaction and has many benefits, but this technique is still new in our country. In fact, each pattern produced is unique and will not be found anywhere else.
“I sell from home or online, among the products produced include bags, shirts, hair ties, hats and many more that can be ordered or made based on demand. Buyers come from as far as abroad, including Brunei and Singapore,” she explained.
“Eco print motifs are a very special form of art because they contain natural aesthetics that are very interesting to experience.
“The environment has the potential to be a source of natural dyes. If observed, eco-printing is able to produce a unique creation inspired by local nature sketches.”
She said that the process of making eco-printed fabric was long, but due to her passion, she never gets tired of it.
