In my practice as a natural dyer and batik maker, I’ve begun exploring biowaste as a resource for dyes, pushing the boundaries of sustainable textile production. Biowaste, typically discarded, includes biodegradable food and kitchen waste, easily accessible in Malaysia where food plays a central role. Onion skins, mint leaves, mangosteen skins, and dried fruits are abundant materials with potential for creating eco-friendly dyes.
My journey into biowaste began with a project funded by the Thetis Blacker Award in 2023, where I created a batik canvas from over 700 used tea bags. After drying and patching them together, I collaborated with batik artists in Tumpat, Kelantan, to stamp wax onto this unique canvas. This project sparked my curiosity about using waste materials for batik, leading me to experiment with biowaste dyes.
Recently, I’ve explored dyeing with onion skins, mangosteen skins, and dried cattapa leaves. Each produces beautiful colors—onion skins offer yellows to browns, mangosteen skins yield purples, and cattapa leaves provide earthy tones. However, integrating these dyes into the batik process is challenging. Batik involves wax-resist techniques, and the fabric must be rinsed in hot water (80-90 degrees Celsius) to remove the wax. The dyes need to be strong enough to survive this process while maintaining their vibrancy.
Experimenting with biowaste dyes involves finding the right mordants and temperature controls to ensure the colors bond deeply with the fabric. Despite the difficulties, I believe biowaste holds immense potential for sustainable batik. My ongoing research focuses on refining techniques to strengthen biowaste dyes, transforming discarded materials into vibrant art and contributing to a more sustainable future in textile creation.
This experimentation forms the basis of my workshop Batik Alami, which is part of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial Australia-IOTA24 KL program. The workshop, hosted by Cult Gallery at The Toffee KL, is a collaboration between DuniaMotif and Cap Embak Tik.
After extensive research, I’ve found that many of the materials demonstrate good colorfastness, offering exciting possibilities for sustainable batik production.
By exploring the potential of biowaste dyes, this workshop encourages makers to rethink their resources and embrace sustainable practices within the textile realm.
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