Dyera Puff Ink

Exploring natural resources has always been a fundamental aspect of human progress. One such resource that has gained attention recently is Dyera Costulata, commonly known as the gutta-percha tree. This evergreen species, native to Southeast Asia, possesses unique properties that make it an ideal candidate for printing ink production.

Dyera Costulata contains a latex sap that can be extracted and processed into a versatile material with excellent adhesive qualities. This substance has been traditionally used in various industries, including medicine and dentistry. However, recent studies have shown its potential application in the field of printing ink.

The sap from the gutta-percha tree can be refined into a high-quality ink suitable for printing on various surfaces. Its viscosity and adhesion properties allow for smooth application and vibrant color reproduction. Moreover, this natural ink is environmentally friendly compared to synthetic alternatives commonly used today.

We exploring the use of Dyera Costulata as a source for printing ink could have significant implications for both the printing industry and environmental conservation efforts. Utilizing this sustainable resource can reduce our reliance on petroleum-based products and contribute to preserving our planet's ecosystems.

Cigondewah

Cigondewah is one of the areas in the Bandung Kulon sub-district, Bandung city. Cigondewah is famous for its fabric centers, where APAKABAR buys all the base fabric for our collections.

Cigondewah's reputation became known in the 1990s. As a result, there is an unusual supply of fabrics, such as used or waste fabrics, from factories. These fabrics are leftover waste from textile and garment factories that should be destroyed due to production defects. Instead, employees take fabrics that do not pass the due diligence standard by reselling the used fabrics.

Used cloth is commonly referred to as BS or jablak fabric. BS fabric is usually in demand because the price is much lower than new cloth. BS fabrics can be purchased in small batches by meter or kilo. It can also be purchased in roll form.

Initially, the introduction of the Cigondewah community to the BS fabric business began when several local gunny sack traders appeared for the needs of farmers. The burlap sacks come from the recycling of factory plastic waste. Then after the community became familiar with recycling plastic waste, they transitioned to recognizing fabric waste from textile and garment factories.

The waste cloth business has a skewed reputation. However, bringing along the discourse on the sustainability of the fabric waste business can become an environmentally friendly sustainable business solution. So, it must be admitted that Cigondewah cloth artisans' actors have proven their existence in reducing waste that indirectly threatens the ecosystem.

Mycelium Leather

The manufacture of Mycelium Leather is a solution to meet the growing demand for animal skins in the fashion industry. MYCL Indonesia discovered a robust, sustainable, eco-friendly leather material made from the Mycelium interlacing network from agroforestry, customisable characteristic surface texture like leather or printed, weight 400 g/m², thickness 0,3 - 0,9 mm, tensile strength 1 - 11 MPa. 

The company provides high-performance and sustainable materials through biotechnology to global markets by empowering local communities and aiming for sustainable product accessibility. The quality of Mycelium Leather (Mylea) consists of several grades. The standardization of quality from MYCL is Mylea grade A to E. However, this company has not used many leather grade E pieces and categorized them as waste. From the potential addition of existing grade E leather, Prafitra VINIANI as a fashion designer, have an idea to make Clothes. Observing several forms of leather and color trends on several trend forecast webs, this waste from mycelium leather has excellent potential to develop as Ready to Wear Deluxe Collection.

Pile of Coffee Pulp Leather

Recycled vegan leather (the product of recycled vegan leather from agricultural waste) into cellulose sheets called Misel. Misel is produced through a process of discovery and innovation of cellulose sheets with strength and texture similar to leather. It can be used as an alternative material in the fashion and furniture industries.

Microbial cellulose sheets, into alternative or imitation leather, could be used to make jackets, shoes, wallets, bags, and so on. Bell Society accidentally saw a pile of coffee pulp at a coffee cooperative in Lembang (Bandung, West Java). They took some of the coffee pulp home and began conducting experiments.

They fermented the coffee cherry skin for about one month by adding bacteria so that they can grow cellulose sheets  (misel). And it worked! From about 200 grams of coffee pulp, they produced roughly one square meter of misel (90 x 90 cm, 0.5 - 1mm thick).

Cassava Plastic

We are beginning to make tops using this material that is used as an alternative to conventional plastic bags. It is made from natural resins derived from 98% Tapioca starch, 1% vegetable oil, and 1% natural biopolymer which can then be composted and be consumed by micro-organisms in the soil. Cassava plastic is most often used for bags which are made from organic ingredients such as cassava starch, vegetable oil derivatives, and biodegradable polymers. These materials are environmentally friendly and do not cause environmental pollution. The advantage of this cassava-based plastic is that it only takes 2-6 months to decompose naturally, while plastic generally takes 100-500 years to decompose properly. An option for fast-fashion that doesn’t hurt the planet!