Loom weavers in the Municipality of San Remigio are capable of applying natural dye to their produced handloom fabrics for a safer, more attractive and colorful material.

Iguirindon Loom Weavers Association (ILWA) president Helen Marquiño said the facilities and training provided by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) enabled them to produce natural dye handloom fabrics, shawls, and handkerchiefs.

“We have a permanent building where we could produce the natural dye handloom fabrics, shawls, and handkerchiefs,” she said.

The two-story hub, or building, amounting to PHP2 million, was funded by the DOST through the help of Senator Loren Legarda. The PTRI trained the weavers, mostly women, on producing and applying natural dye.

“There is plenty of mahogany and cogon in our neighborhood that we process as a natural dye to our fabric,” she said.

The natural dye is extracted from cogon or mahogany trunks by boiling them in water. The threads used for weaving are dyed by dipping them in boiled water until they get the desired shade.

Marquiño said the natural dye is hypoallergenic and cannot cause skin irritation.

DOST also provided weaving machines or tiral, dye vats, shredders, casseroles, and pails.

“There are 10 association members who are directly involved in the production of the natural dye fabric at the hub,” she said.

They produce handwoven fabric sold for PHP300 per meter, shawls for PHP300 to PHP400 per piece, and handkerchiefs for PHP100 to PHP200 a piece.

“Half of the income from selling these fabric, shawls, and handkerchiefs are given as wages for our workers while the other half goes to our association,” Marquiño said.

She also said their products are sold at their hub or through orders.

“We will be displaying our products at the Hotel Kinaray-a in San Jose de Buenavista,” she said. (PNA)