HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya has bestowed initiatives on Community Development Department, Ministry of Interior to enhance the lives of weavers and OTOP entrepreneurs in 76 provinces by revitalising local wisdom and promoting sustainable practices in Thai textiles and handicrafts, including reducing chemical dyes and harmful technologies. HRH The Princess promotes the cultivation of cotton and mulberry trees for silkworm rearing and plants for natural dyes in each community. These efforts enhance sustainability and aim to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that worsen Greenhouse Effect and global warming. The “carbon footprint” of a product measures the total amount of greenhouse gases released throughout its lifecycle, including material sourcing, production processes, sale, distribution, consumption, and post-consumption waste management, reported in units of carbon dioxide equivalents.
Ministry of Interior, recognising the importance of measuring carbon dioxide emissions in Thai fabric production, applies United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) international standards for carbon footprint evaluations at the community textile production level. This initiative is crucial for comprehensive pollution reduction across the production process, from material sourcing to sales and distribution. Since the global clothing and textile industries contribute approximately 6 – 8% of global carbon emissions, this mission to reduce emissions promises benefits for both societal and economic impacts. It is expected that about 2,000,000 community weavers and 100,000 weaving groups will benefit from this initiative.
Therefore, the “Fostering Eco-friendly Thai Textiles and Thai Wisdom” project has emerged to promote environmentally responsible practices in Thai fabric and textile production. Community Development Department, Ministry of Interior signed an MOU with Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (Public Organization) to cooperate in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and help Thai fabrics and textiles achieve “Carbon Footprint of Product Certification” for products with the lowest environmental impact. These efforts will build trust and enhance the global reputation of Thai fabrics and textiles through more sustainable and environmentally friendly products, thus elevating the international image of the Thai fabric industry.
The “Fostering Eco-friendly Thai Textiles and Thai Wisdom” project aims to support and encourage OTOP manufacturers and entrepreneurs of Thai fabrics and textiles by providing training from officials of Community Development Department. This training covers greenhouse gas management in eco-friendly production processes, carbon footprint calculation, and guidelines for dyeing Thai fabrics with natural colours to reduce pollution from toxic chemicals in the air, ground, and water, in response to the initiative of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya.