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Citing the 7,000-year contribution of the date palm to the cultural history of the United Arab Emirates, the Irthi Committee for Contemporary Crafts (Irthi)-an affiliate of the NAMA Women’s Promotion Agency (NAMA) in the United Arab Emirates, called for innovation in traditional crafts as it was recently held at the 2020 Dubai World Expo. The results of its research were published in a panel discussion that led to the development of a prototype palm textile.
Under the guidance and instructions of His Royal Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and His Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairman of NAMA, advanced palm fiber research and efforts to document the craft practice led by Irthi. The panel session also discussed how investments in research and innovation of local materials can shape the future of the regional and international handicraft and design markets.
The discussion titled, led by an outstanding group of environmental and cultural enthusiasts from all over the world,Sustainable cultural power,Held at the Women’s Pavilion at the Dubai World Expo 2020, reiterated the urgent need to adapt to traditional knowledge, and emphasized the potential of Irthi’s research-led biodegradable date palm textile prototype in maintaining and advancing the craft, textile and design industries in the UAE, and further advancement The sustainable development goals envisaged by the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The discussion organized and led by Irthi and chaired by Irthi Project Senior Executive Shahad Al Hammadi was held against the background of black and white digital images of his research publications. These images revealed interesting details of the fibers of the four palm species and have been updated from 40 Magnified to 3,000 times.
Famous panelists at the conference included Dr. Sandra Piesik, an award-winning architect, researcher andAreesh: Palm Leaf Architecture, Who led the research led by Irthi to create a viable prototype for date palm textiles; and Malgorzata Zimniewska, associate professor at the Polish Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants. Representing Irthi at this event is the UAE designer Ghaya bin Mesmar, whose area of interest is research and handicraft development.
When discussing the transformative power of culture and its inherent contribution to sustainable development, the panelists emphasized how the innovation of date palm fiber extraction can create new sustainable options for global audiences, and emphasized that in-depth research on such local materials can be useful Create a circular economy in the textile and fashion industry.
In explaining the historical role of date palms in indigenous architecture and handicrafts, Dr. Sandra Piesik said: “As the effects of climate change are felt around the world, date palms have become vital to our lives today. If it does not exist, so is it.” Tradition, and calls for the reuse of a material that supports the cultural continuity of the UAE people.
In order to adapt it to the contemporary environment, Dr. Piesike emphasized that international cooperation is essential to create a strong supply chain, as date palms are now grown in more than 40 countries. “The development of small and micro-industry in the Middle East and North Africa will not only create new employment growth, but will also enhance local knowledge rooted in UAE culture,” she said.
Associate Professor Malgorzata Zimniewska, who focuses on the development of natural fiber processing technology, said that date palm textiles have great potential as future biomaterials, especially with the continuous shift to the use of natural and sustainable materials and processes.
She added that in addition to textiles, date palm fiber also has the potential to be used as reinforcement and insulation materials in construction, as well as in the automotive and transportation sectors. “Key research and increased investment in technology are essential to understand the advantages and multiple uses of date palm fiber and to develop biological products that can replace synthetic materials and plastics.”
Ghaya binMesmar talked about how she continued to draw inspiration from the date palm in her design work, said that Irthi explored innovative ways of using palm leaves and incorporating them into Safeefah craftsmanship, “in terms of design, it has broadened the craft library and patterns. This has led to the incorporation of new materials such as camel leather, felt, clay and even glass into traditional craft forms.”
“The research conducted in Irthi revealed the complexity of palm leaves and highlighted many of its unique characteristics, such as brittleness. Our goal now is to create a softer and more malleable palm textile for all types of clothing. With this, Sharjah can make a breakthrough in the global sustainable textile market.”
Irthi released two research-led publications at Expo 2020 Dubai
One of the main highlights of the conference was the release of two publications, which documented the research on palm fiber and natural dyes by Sharjah entities.
The first publication focused on researching Irthi’s date palms through experimental processes in Sharjah, Amsterdam, and the United Kingdom. This paved the way for the creation of sustainable woven fabrics and leading innovations. Used as a sustainable component for locally produced crafts. Irthi also launched its first date palm textile made during the initial stage of research during the event.
The second publication is a collaborative project with Alchemy of Dyeing, documenting the natural and sustainable recipes for dyeing palm leaves.
The Irthi Contemporary Crafts Committee will continue to conduct extensive research to plan and document craft practices in the UAE to protect and enhance craft traditions and enrich the knowledge of future generations and craftsmen. Irthi’s ever-expanding archive collection is critical to maintaining the precious heritage of the country’s cultural heritage.
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