Taguig City- In a sunny Monday morning on 10 September 2007 at the Flag Raising Ceremony of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro showed up in a light and gaily mood wearing tailor-made dress showcasing PTRI’s developed natural dyes.
Made of ramie-linen fabric, the pink and gray ensemble worn by the Secretary features two of PTRI’s developed and commercialized technologies. The pink embroidered blouse is dyed with young coconut husks while the gray skirt was a product of the modification done on mahogany barks which normally yield reddish brown..
The same dress has graced the centerpiece of the recently concluded 6th National Coconut Week Celebration where the textile dye extracted from young coconut husks rightfully gained the spotlight. The pink shade obtained from coconut proves to be a stable color and does not show any forms of discoloration in varying pH conditions. With proper hand washing and avoidance of extremely harsh detergent solutions, the fabric can sustain its color and feel.
The development of the extraction and textile application technology using young coconut husks is inspired by the abundant raw material supply brought about by the seemingly end-of-the-line nature of young coconut husks. It is considered completely as waste material after obtaining the meat or water. Morever, the chopping of these husks prior to extraction reduces its size making it easier for decomposition to take place after obtaining the dye. The magnitude of the raw material base is tremendously huge considering that of the 12M hectares of farmlands in the Philippines 3.1 M is devoted to coconut, harboring 324 M coconut trees and supporting 25M Filipinos. The extension of the prospects for young coconut husks as textile dye could further extend the already widespread industry. The jobs it can create from the textile dyeing alone will be huge enough not discounting its impact on the reduction and processing of what is at present absolute an agro-industrial waste.
On the other hand, the mahogany barks used for the Secretary’s dress were sourced from trees inside the DOST compound in Bicutan which fell as a devastating result of 2006 Typhoon Milenyo. Truly, natural dyes are not only for alternative natural and safe coloration technology but they are also a means of using waste materials to produce unique, subtly colored and elegantly dyed office apparels.
The dress worn by Secretary Alabastro is part of the intensive promotional activities of PTRI on the use of natural dyes for office wear and as its own share in the global call for environment consciousness. For 4,000 employees of DOST alone clothed with ~32,000 yards of fabric with four distinct shades for four working days, approximately 3,000 kgs each of young coconut husks and mahogany barks; or 300kgs premium Philippine indigo powder and 750 kgs of annatto seeds both of which can readily be supplied by the Natural Dye Project of Aklan State University and PTRI in Aklan, would be needed. The boost it will give to farmers and the dye facility in Aklan will be more than enough to also perk up its operation.
Secretary Alabastro wearing this Bon Gavino Gautier get up with natural dye ensemble will surely catalyze the entry of natural dyes into the apparel scene and popularize its use for office wear. The aesthetic appeal and quality of the fabrics, not to mention their economic, environmental and social significance could not be over emphasized. Julius L. Leaño Jr., RDD/PTRI-DOST
