Mendong material, a variety of grass that grows in abundant in Tasikmalaya, West Java, has been woven into mats for generations. However, its industry grew stagnant, due to the absence of product development and quality improvement. A team of design researchers from ITB took this matter into account and provided a number of the following solutions: training in dyeing techniques, colors and patterns improvements, as well as innovative applications of mendong mats into three-dimensional products. Moreover, the team also designed a manual weaving tool, as an improvement of the old variety, in order to improve production efficiency and capacity.

Mendong in Tasikmalaya