The Philippine government has launched a research initiative to develop environmentally friendly wood stains by incorporating indigenous natural dyes from the northern province of Abra.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), its Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), and the Namarabar Indigo Natural Dye Producers Cooperative (NINDPC).
A formal agreement has been signed to support the development of sustainable wood-staining materials using plant-based dyes, with funding from the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development.
What are eco-friendly wood stains?
The cooperative produces natural dyes from tree bark, wood shavings, and leaves of locally sourced plants such as mahogany, sappanwood (locally known as sapang), and tinctoria (malatayum).
These dyes have traditionally been used for colouring yarns in Abel, a form of loom weaving native to the Ilocos region.
FPRDI Director Rico Cabangon urged cooperative members to maintain their traditional dye-making techniques while engaging in innovation.
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How will the new stains help?
He said the inclusion of natural dyes in wood stain production could have practical applications in the country’s furniture and handicraft industries, the Philippine Information Agency reported.
The initiative is part of a wider move to explore environmentally sustainable alternatives in industrial materials by tapping into indigenous knowledge and locally available resources.
By formalising the role of traditional practices in modern research, the programme highlights the potential of community-based expertise to contribute to green technologies.
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