By Yvette Tan
Published Aug 29, 2025 12:05 am
AVANT GARDENER
I’m in Tabuk, Kalinga as part of Masda Aw, a cultural exchange between Kalinga weavers and Manila creatives.
Last week, I wrote about Florence Amily Ao-wat, known as Manang Astrid, owner of Kinwa Etnika Handicrafts and founder of the Kalinga Indigenous Weavers Association, who hopes that reviving the use of natural dye and Philippine cotton can increase the economic and cultural potential of her weaves. This week, I’d like to focus on the person instructing the Kinwa weavers on the process.
Diana Katigbak is a natural dye artist, fashion designer, and university professor who teaches textile science, natural dyeing, and surface design techniques. She majored in fashion design, gravitating toward its blend of business and art. It was here where she was exposed to textiles and dyeing techniques. “Clothes come alive through textiles. So different treatments, different kinds of textiles, it's part of the soul of our clothes,” she said.
“My first introduction to natural dyes was in my undergrad textiles class. My teacher taught us how natural dyes work, and I saw that there are many sources of plant dyes in the Philippines and I appreciated that.”
This appreciation further deepened when she took her Masters in Clothing Science in Japan. “Japan has a living tradition of natural dyeing… they took us to a natural dyeing studio, and this indigo dyer was already fifth generation, and I was really amazed at how it lasted so long and how the craft was passed down. My experience there really made me realize that craft should also be practiced in the Philippines because we have our own [dyeing practices].”
She details the Japanese method of indigo dyeing, a very long process which begins with the farmer and involves several artisans. “There, I realized that everything starts with agriculture and the life of [clothes] start from farming.”
After graduating, she apprenticed under a Tokyo-based indigo dye master for a year and a half. “He told me that the variety we had in the Philippines is one of the best varieties of indigo there was, and it really excited me that it had so much potential.”
While it was challenging to find a source of indigo at first, Katigbak eventually connected with Abra indigo farmers, which led her to Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP), a non-government organization who sourced their indigo from Mindoro.
“I’m quite happy with the result,” she said. “I don't work from leaves because the communities they work with already process this as pigment. The pigment is still natural and it's processed in a natural way.”
One of her first big projects was a partnership with a friend who ran a fashion label in Hong Kong. He would ship her fabrics and she would dye them in indigo. The pieces were shown in both Hong Kong and Shanghai Fashion Weeks. “The reception was nice,” she said. “Because it was done in a way that the designs of the clothes were modern, natural dyeing created a deeper story.”
Though she specialized in indigo, Katigbak also works with other plant material. In Masda Aw, she used indigo, which is readily available since it is cultivated in Abra, as well as other pigments that can easily be found in Kalinga. “Indigo makes… several different shades of blue. Anatto seeds create different shades of orange. Mango leaves create yellow. Talisay is very interesting because you can achieve a yellow green and a dark grey. We're also working with mahogany.”
Her aim in Masda Aw is to give participants a basic overview of the dyeing process with the hope that they will use it as a jump-off point for more product experimentation.
“I hope [this sparks] their creativity to develop new weaves, creating new culture, and also reviving their craft.”
Interest in natural dyes and fabrics is growing as consumers become more aware of the materials used to create synthetic fabrics, (which are essentially plastic), as well as the hidden toll the fashion industry is taking on the environment.
“In the fashion industry, where I've been exposed for so many years, everyone is very concerned about the price of things, how standard it is, how it costs, but it comes with many hidden risks like environmental destruction or inequality or loss of quality of life. For me, natural dyes present an alternative way of thinking about value.”
Purchasing a handmade piece may be expensive, but it carries with it the stories of the people who made its creation possible, from farmer to weaver. Plus, with proper care, it lasts longer than the average fast fashion piece.
“It's value and storytelling. It gives a deeper meaning into what you use or what you wear,” Katigbak said. “It also could be a new source of income [for the weavers]. The effort it takes to create this and also the value of it creates the circular supply chain. It can introduce new ways to earn or new upward opportunities to a certain community.”
The opportunities for success aren’t limited to the weavers. There is also the hope that the demand for natural dyed fabrics and natural fibers, in this case, cotton, will revive the local cotton industry. If this goes well, even farmers and other community members stand to gain.
“Going back to my experience of analyzing the indigo supply chain in Japan, a whole community can be involved. And the craft has no gender. Everyone can help out. Everyone has a role in it.”
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