Malaysian pupils build robot to promote sustainability in fashion
‘Marbling Robot for Sustainable Future’ merges art techniques with technology to create striking, eco-friendly patterns on fabric
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) – Three Malaysian school children have created a machine that merges water-marbling techniques with robotics to create stunning, eco-friendly patterns.
When 11-year-old Yevgen Ngui noticed the colors fading from his football jersey, he began researching synthetic dyes and uncovered their toxic nature, as well as the serious harm they pose to aquatic life and human health.
This inspired him and his schoolmates, Yeoh Zi Jian, 12, and Celeste Tan, 10, to create what has been named Marbling Robot for Sustainable Future (MarBot4SF), reports Free Malaysia Today.
MarBot4SF can help reduce the environmental impact on textile printing by creating beautiful and natural patterns on fabric.
The students’ goal was to overcome environmental and health complications caused by the usage of synthetic dyes in the fashion and textile industry.
Water marbling, also known as hydro-dipping, is an art form where patterns are created on a surface of water and then transferred to another item by dipping, floating, or lightly dragging the object across the surface.
“I wanted to make a robot that uses natural pigment dyes instead of synthetic, so it would not continue harming the environment,” Ngui said at the Malaysia Open House Exhibition Asean 2025.
Yeoh said he wanted to “combine art and technology with sustainability to help revolutionise the fashion industry and create a better world.”
Tan said she found inspiration online when she came across articles about how the fashion/textile industry is one of the leading causes of water pollution. That fuelled her passion to create the MarBot4SF.
Teacher and project adviser Adrian Ong, 34, said his students inspired him to learn more about robotics. “Working with them made me realise that sometimes, it is not just about learning through textbooks.”
“The students were willing to come back to school and spend time there, rather than hang out with their friends. Their commitment and interest motivated us (teachers),” he said.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
