INDI UGM International Conference 2023

A new way of production and a more sustainable clothes consumption must be implemented to reduce this threat of the fashion and apparel industries to the environment and health. Synthetic dyes are widely known to harm the environment and health. On the other hand, natural dyes have a lesser environmental and health impact than synthetic dyes. Natural dyes are usually renewable, biodegradable, readily available, non-toxic, and have medicinal properties and various tints and shades of different hues. The use of natural dyes also can have socioeconomic impacts. Most natural dyes, especially those from plants, usually come from a labor-intensive industry. This natural dye production provides job opportunities for all those engaged in the cultivation, extraction, and application of these dyes on textiles. Natural dyes generate sustainable employment and income for the weaker section of the population in rural and sub-urban areas, both for dyeing and non-food crop farming to produce plants for the natural dyes.

Using natural dyes is also supporting the effort to combat climate change. One of the natural dye sources is tannin extracted from Mangrove bark. Although mangroves comprise less than one percent of all tropical forests worldwide, the amount of carbon stored beneath these trees is estimated to be up to four times greater than that held by other tropical forests, making these coastal forests extremely valuable in the fight against climate change. Another source of natural dye, indigo, is also already known to have the ability to absorb CO2, which is the leading cause of human-induced global warming.

Leading institution that spearheaded this natural dye development is INDI UGM (Indonesia Natural Dye Institute Universitas Gadjah Mada). Founded in 2019, INDI UGM is also the UNESCO Chair on Research and Education of Local Natural Dyes. As the UNESCO Chair, INDI UGM aims to promote an integrated system of research, teaching, and training, as well as community engagement and communication, and to facilitate collaboration between high-level national and internationally recognized researchers and between national, regional, and global institutions. The position of INDI UGM as the center of excellence was strengthened when INDI UGM became PUI-PT OP (the Center of Excellence in Science and Technology of Indonesia Higher Education) in 2021.

INDI UGM has several objectives as the leading natural dyes institution, especially as the UNESCO Chair. Among those objectives are increasing public knowledge and awareness of the benefits of natural dyes for health and the environment through research and education worldwide, educating potential producers, customers, and enthusiasts to appreciate, be aware of, and be proud of natural dyes by providing knowledge and information at all levels of education, and develop and strengthen networks and collaborations among stakeholders of the natural dyes. To fulfill the above objectives, INDI UGM proposes to hold the International Conference on Natural Dyes, titled “Strengthening the International Network of Researcher, Producers, Consumers, Educators, and Enthusiasts of Natural Dyes.” The international conference is where all stakeholders of natural dyes, current, future, and potential, including the decision-makers, will meet and share knowledge and information on natural dyes. It is expected that during this international conference, there will be an update on all aspects of the development of natural dyes, such as recent analysis on the benefits and advantages of natural dyes, innovation in the production process, new insights on the users and consumers of natural dyes, new educational tools on the teaching of natural dyes in schools, and updated briefing of development and plan from regulators and decision makers of natural dyes. Therefore, this INDI UGM International Conference will further establish and strengthen INDI UGM’s position as UNESCO Chair and provide us with the latest developments and information on natural dyes, which will be very beneficial for the further development of natural dyes.