Make it Black

Talisay (Terminalia catappa) is a shady tree widely distributed all over the country and is often grown for ornamental purposes. The Natural Dyes R&D program of the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) has found the talisay leaves to be a rich source for black dye.

The usual practice of getting a black tint with the use of synthetic dyes involves a mixture of at least three different dyes. But the black shade could easily be obtained from one natural dye sources, which is the talisay’s leaves.

Talisay leaves are fermented to extract the pigments before it is boiled. The extract is applied on the textile material where the color is modified with the addition of natural minerals. Colors that can be produced include black and gray. However, a yellow shade can also be produced. This development is now being pursued by PTRI researchers and dye application is already being piloted in a variety of materials.

Commercial use of the dye is being applied on cotton knit shirts by Soumak Collection’s Eairth, which they are supplying in the United States. This provides opportunities and prospects for the accelerated entry of naturally dyed apparels in the market.

The clever use of talisay leaves can also provide potential source of livelihood by becoming a supplier of the leaves. Soumak Collection, adopter of the Talisay Extraction and Textile Application technology is now a regular buyer of talisay leaves. Thus, an additional income can be made from the tree that once was just a source of shade. Maybe planting and propagating said species can be another business concept.