A Natural Dye Workshop with ʻŌlena (Turmeric)

Associate Professor Young Jin Bahng, Ph.D., in Apparel Business Analysis, led a hands-on natural dye workshop using ʻŌlena—the Hawaiian name for turmeric (Curcuma longa)—in an exciting interdisciplinary collaboration with Dr. Koon-Hui Wang of the Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS) department on March 10 th . Dr. Wang’s graduate students joined the workshop, turning the laboratory into a vibrant studio where science and craft intertwined.

The collaboration between the FDM program and Dr. Koon-Hui Wang’s PEPS lab reflects a growing interest in connecting textile research with Hawaii’s rich botanical heritage. Dr. Wang’s graduate students—trained in plant pathology and environmental protection—brought a unique scientific lens to the workshop, deepening discussions about the biological properties of ʻŌlena as both a plant and a dye material.

By Dr Young Jin Bahng