Buleleng - The peak night of Singaraja City's 420th anniversary celebration brought a unique charm to GOR Bhuana Patra on Saturday (30/3/2024). A stunning fashion show by Pagi Motley, a producer of naturally dyed fabrics from Sembiran Village, Tejakula, received the public's attention.
With the theme "Selaras", Pagi Motley showcased the beauty of clothing made from sustainable and natural materials. "We want to exemplify the harmony between humans and nature through our fashion designs," said I Made Andika Putra, founder of Pagi Motley.
Andika explained that the natural dyes used bring out the beauty of colors from local plants such as mango leaves for yellow, ketapang leaves for black, sappan wood for red, indigo for blue, and coconut fibers for brown. "Incidentally, our collection tonight is dominated by earth colors, namely brown and black," she said.
Not only that, various coloring techniques such as tie dye, air brush, and shibori gave a distinctive touch to each of Pagi Motley's pieces, which were worked on sheets of fabric made from natural raw materials as well.
"We use 100 percent natural fiber yarns such as cotton and linen, without using polyester. Our raw materials all come from local Indonesia," says Andika.
In order to maintain the beauty of the clothes with natural materials and dyes, Andika suggests careful fabric care by handwashing, and using shampoo instead of detergent. "Our fabric care tips are similar to caring for endek woven fabrics," Andika said.
Although the market is currently dominated by overseas consumers, Andika hopes that through this fashion show, local consumers, who already have the awareness to wear eco-friendly clothing, will be attracted to producers like Pagi Motley.
In addition, he also hopes that clothing crafters in Buleleng Regency can be inspired to also use environmentally friendly raw materials.
Andika has been learning natural fabric-making techniques since 2001. He devoted his skills to establishing Pagi Motley five years ago, and continues to exist until now. (MC Buleleng Regency/can/InfoPublik.id)