Design and Development of Natural Tie-dye Products Based on Local Wisdom: Huai Pong Subdistrict Elderly School

Abstract

The research aimed to 1) study basic information about local plants in Huai Pong Subdistrict that are used to make tie-dye fabric, 2) create prototype tie-dye fabric products based on local wisdom, and 3) evaluate the opinions of the respondents on the prototype tie-dye fabric products. The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, collecting data from 16 elderly people, 3 product design experts, and 35 consumers and producers, selected using purposive sampling. The research tools included a semi-structured focus group discussion guide, a form for evaluating product quality, and an opinion questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis, and quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, mean, percentage, and standard deviation.  The research found: 1) Huai Pong Subdistrict is an agricultural community where elderly residents previously lacked experience in natural dye tie-dyeing, yet demonstrated strong interest in low-complexity activities utilizing familiar local resources. Five dye-producing plants—marigold flowers, turmeric, sappanwood, Cassia fistula pods, and mangosteen peels—were selected and combined with two traditional mordants (alum and limewater), producing different color shades; 2) Five handcrafted textile bag prototypes were developed using structural folding and tying techniques. All prototypes received high-level quality evaluations from subject-matter experts (mean = 3.81–4.33). 3) Consumers and producers expressed high overall product opinions (x̄ =4.12, SD=0.22), with perceived novelty/visual appeal and eco-friendliness reaching the highest levels. Conversely, price appropriateness received the lowest mean score at a moderate level. The production process involved uncomplicated and flexible steps suitable for the physical capabilities of older adults. However, the lowest rating for price appropriateness indicated a gap between community-level production costs and consumers’ price acceptance. Therefore, commercial product development should emphasize cost management, pricing, and the communication of the product’s story and value.