Traditional Cloth Dyeing Enterprise at Ntonso: Challenges and Opportunities

There is a growing awareness to the threats posed by synthetic dyes. Natural plant-based dyes have proved to be important alternatives to synthetic dyes in the textile industry. The study investigated the traditional cottage textile dyeing enterprise at Ntonso, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, to identify challenges facing the industry. Data were collected through questionnaire administration, individual and group interviews, and from secondary sources. A total of 40 proprietors were randomly selected and interviewed at Ntonso. The results indicate that the textile dyeing enterprise is confronted with a number of challenges, including default in payments by clients, poor quality of some natural dyes on the market and lack of interest of financial institutions to support expansion of the business. The dyers have, over the years, utilised only two tree species as sources of textile dyes. However potential exists for natural dyes from many plants. But many of these potential dye-yielding plants have not been investigated for colour production and performance on cloths for use in the textile industry. Systematic investigation into the dye-yielding potential of these species and their practical application and performance in the industry would boost the industry in Ghana.