JAT Paints launches new paint using pigment from natural flowers
JAT Holdings recently launched a revolutionary new paint, which combines ancient traditions and cuttingedge manufacturing technology.
Petal Paint is a unique paint that has been created with the pigments from dried flower petals and transformed into liquid paint using innovation from the research and development team at JAT Holdings.
This unique initiative will breathe new life into discarded temple flowers, which are a plenty in the country. Once turned into liquid paint, it will be used in the creation and restoration of sacred temple murals in Sri Lanka.
JAT Holdings has created Petal Paint as an initiative to pay homage to Sri Lanka’s rich heritage of temple art, often found in the form of captivating wall murals in temple shrine rooms. Many of the murals are faded and the wall paint available in the market does not always match the traditional colours or texture of wall paint used in the original murals.
“We created Petal Paint to give something back to Sri Lanka’s heritage and culture,” says JAT Holdings Marketing Head Richard Gunawardene. “Petal Paint combines the best of our traditional culture - the use of pigments from nature - with the most advanced technology in paint manufacturing, to create a paint that matches the traditional temple mural colors and also provides a more long-lasting solution to temple artists.”
Petal Paint will soon be made available to artists working on temple murals. The initial colors in the range are lotus red, pigeon wing blue, trumpet yellow, marigold orange and temple flower white, and will be available in 200ml tins.
Richard Gunawardene stated that a pilot project using petal paint to restore faded murals as well as create new wall murals is currently underway at Sri Sudarmarama Poorana Maha Viharaya, Ganegama, Akuressa and will be unveiled to the public soon. He further elaborated that the ideas were created and conceptualised by Leo Burnett Sri Lanka for JAT Holdings.
It takes around 200 kilograms of dried flowers to make 50 liters of paint, and JAT Holdings will soon launch a public campaign to collect the dried flowers discarded from temples. In addition to collecting the natural pigments needed for petal paint production, this initiative will also reduce the daily waste thrown out by temples across the country.
Built and grown based on the values of fair trade, MA’S Kitchen, one of the country’s most trusted food processor highlighted the importance of continuously supporting and integrating fair trade practices to create better livelihoods in recognition of World Fair Trade Day.
Annually celebrated around the world on the second Saturday of May, World Fair Trade Day commemorates fair trade as a tangible contribution to sustainable development, especially the economic empowerment of small producers through decent working conditions, responsible production practices and better livelihoods.
For over three decades MA’S Kitchen has been consciously promoting development opportunities for farming communities, improving market access and paying fair prices.
As the proud recipient of the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation’s Fairtrade Certification, MA’S Kitchen is certified for processing fair trade materials and manufactures fair trade certified coconut milk, curry pastes and other food ingredientsfor consumers around the globe.
Not only does the endorsement ensure the company follows rigid certification requirements but guarantees not only that the farmers receivea minimum price above costs to ensure sustainable production, but an additional fair trade premium is also pledged to the farmer organisations for development activities.
During the past year, MA’S Kitchen had facilitated over Rs. 2 million in fair trade premiums to their supplier farmer organisation showcasing the company’s commitment to fair prices and a sustainable working environment.
As they have guided the formation of the Sustainable Agri Farm Enterprise Network (SAFENET), a network ofover 100 farmers in the south and central parts of Sri Lanka who are also fair trade certified and with the company’s assistance carry our fair trade practices.
The MA’S Foods factory in Dambulla produces the company’s wide range of spices,processed foods and seasonings and a facility in Minuwangoda specialises in processing of coconut milk. The company also has an organic certified estate and animal husbandry farm trailing sustainable meat production practices in Matale and a recent start-upprocessing project working with local farmers in the northern districts based in Kilinottchi promoting integrated organic agriculture.
With an aim is to improve food security and reduce vulnerability of farmers, MA’S Kitchen supports the development of thriving farming communities in these surrounding areas with over 200 registeredin their new northern project who will soon join SAFENET.
Helping the farmers become more economically stable and reliable suppliers, MA’S Foods also provides training to the farmers on improving productivity and crop quality.
MA’S Foods has also been successful in mobilising their customerstowards the ethos of fair trade. One of the company’s longest-standing customer recently donated solar panels to some of its supplier spice farmers in the Matale district. These solar panels ensure the farmers receive continuous electricity supply reducing their daily costs and reliance on fossil fuels and also providing a safer light source in some hard to reach areas that the farmers work in.
Interestingly the solar panels were donated using proceeds of sales of curry paste which include spices grown by these spice famers. Made by MA’S Kitchen, the curry pastes were launched in Netherlands in 2016 under the customer’s own brand. Subsequently, the export company also gained support for this project from several supermarkets who also stock their products.