TIBAG
Natural Latex in its raw state
PrototypeHevea brasiliensis latex

Natural Latex

A flexible weather face that doesn't laminate on a plastic film.

Most weather-resistant carry works by bonding a polyurethane or PVC film to the back of a woven face. It works, and it turns the panel into a laminate that cannot be renewed.

Natural latex is our alternative route: a compounded coating applied to the panel face, cured flat, and — in principle — re-coatable later in the bag's life. In principle is doing real work in that sentence, which is why this sits at prototype.

Natural Latex macro detail

Origin

Where it comes from.

Origin

Southern Mindanao

Latex is tapped from rubber trees in smallholder and estate plantations, collected as field latex and concentrated before compounding.

  1. Tapping
  2. Field collection
  3. Concentration
  4. Compounding
  5. Coating line
  6. TIBAG workshop
  1. 01

    Tapping

    Latex is tapped from mature rubber trees on a repeating cycle. The tree is not felled.

    Southern Mindanao

  2. 02

    Collection

    Field latex is collected daily and stabilised before it can coagulate in transit.

  3. 03

    Concentration

    Water is removed to raise solids content to a coatable level.

  4. 04

    Compounding

    The concentrate is compounded into a coating formula tuned for a woven bast panel.

  5. 05

    Application

    The compound is drawn across the abaca face at a controlled thickness.

  6. 06

    Curing

    Panels cure flat, then rest before cutting so the film has fully set.

Properties

What it actually does.

  • Water shedding

    4 / 5

    Rain beads and runs off the coated face rather than soaking into the weave.

  • Flex and hand

    5 / 5

    Stays soft. The panel folds and creases without the coating cracking at the fold.

  • UV stability

    2 / 5

    Natural latex is the weak point under prolonged direct sun. This is our main open problem.

  • Renewability

    4 / 5

    A coating can be reapplied where a bonded film cannot. We are still proving this holds outside the workshop.

  • Abrasion resistance

    3 / 5

    Fine on body panels. Wears visibly at contact points, which we treat as expected patina.

Ratings are TIBAG's own workshop assessment on a comparative 1–5 scale. They are not laboratory measurements and are not certified.

Weather behaviour

  • Heavy rain

    Strong

    The coated face sheds sustained rain in our current spray checks.

  • Prolonged direct sun

    Under assessment

    UV ageing is the reason this material is not production ready.

  • Closed-car heat

    Conditional

    We are checking whether the coating tacks at sustained high surface temperatures.

  • Highland cold

    Good

    No stiffening observed on samples carried at elevation.

Treatments applied

  • Concentration

    Raises solids content so the coating cures to an even film.

  • Compounding

    Adds fillers and stabilisers that control cure and surface finish.

  • Flat curing

    Panels are cured flat so the coating does not pool at seams.

Against the alternative

Natural Latex vs conventional synthetics.

Qualitative comparison between Natural Latex and conventional synthetic technical fabric
AttributeNatural LatexConventional synthetic
ConstructionCoating applied to the faceFilm laminated to the back
Hand and flexStays soft, folds without crackingStiffens the panel
UV ageingUnder assessment — current weak pointWell understood and stable
RenewalPotentially re-coatableDelamination is terminal

Comparative statements are qualitative and reflect our own build experience. They are not benchmark test results.

Development

Where this material stands.

  1. 01Research
  2. 02Concept
  3. 03PrototypePhysical samples exist and are being assessed in the workshop.
  4. 04Field testing
  5. 05Production ready

  • Spray resistance

    Sustained overhead spray on coated panels, timed to first strike-through.

    No result published — this test has not finished.

    In progress

  • Fold cycle

    Repeated folding at a single crease line, checked for coating cracks.

    Workshop observation: no cracking at the crease on current samples. Internal check only.

    Complete

  • UV exposure

    Panels exposed to direct tropical sun over consecutive months.

    No result published — this test has not finished.

    In progress

  • High-temperature tack

    Panels held at sustained high surface temperature and checked for surface tack.

    No result published — this test has not finished.

    Planned

Transparency

What we can and can't say.

What we know

Verified by us, first-hand.

  • The coating is applied, not laminated, so the panel keeps its flex.
  • It sheds rain in our current internal spray checks.
  • It is compounded — it is not raw sap, and it is not free of additives.

What we don't know yet

Open questions, stated plainly.

  • How the film ages under years of direct tropical sun.
  • Whether re-coating a worn bag is practical outside our own workshop.
  • Whether the supply can stay consistent enough for production volumes.

What we commit to

How we will report on this.

  • We will describe the coating as compounded, never as pure or all-natural.
  • We will publish UV results when the exposure period is finished, whatever they say.
  • We will not claim biodegradability for a coated panel that includes synthetic components.

Care

  • Wipe the coated face with a damp cloth. Nothing solvent-based.
  • Dry in shade — sustained direct sun is the fastest way to age the coating.
  • Do not machine wash or tumble dry.
  • Store unfolded where possible so the film is not held at a hard crease.

End of life

  • Latex-coated panels are not compostable in the form we currently build them.
  • We are assessing whether coated panels can be stripped and re-coated instead of replaced.

Built with it

Concepts using natural latex.

These are study pieces from the TIBAG Origins collection. None of them are for sale.