Study of Local Materials and Agricultural Waste to Develop Souvenir Products by Integrating Technology with Cultural to Support to the Aging Society: Khuan Kalong District, Satun Province

Surapa Wongsuwan

doi:10.69650/jcdrhs.2025.1268

Authors

Surapa Wongsuwan Faculty of Architecture and Design, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, Bangkok, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69650/jcdrhs.2025.1268

Keywords:

Local Materials, Agricultural Waste, Cultural Souvenir, Circular Economy, Aging Society

Abstract

This research studies local materials and agricultural waste to develop cultural souvenir products in line with the circular economy and supports the development of cultural souvenir products from local materials that reflect cultural narratives to promote social innovation for the aging society in Khuan Kalong District, Satun Province. This Participatory Action Research (PAR) study included three stages. The first involved interviews with five community members and local academics to identify design directions and material characteristics. After completing design-specific surveys, thirty designers, scholars, design experts, and marketers created prototypes of memorial products. Finally, 385 visitors, specialists, and designers aged 20–60 (near retirement) completed satisfaction rating surveys after product design. Results were summarized by percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

Findings revealed that cultural gifts made from oil palm, rubber, and banana sheaths, together with local batik fabric patterns inspired by the Nora performance and Kalong flower motif, represented the charm and cultural identity of Khuan Kalong community. Processed agricultural waste materials such as oil-palm fronds, rubber leaves, palm fruit bunches, banana sheaths, and batik fabric prototypes (N = 30) scored 4.77 (SD = 0.50) in the prototype development evaluation, indicating a very high level of satisfaction. A large-scale satisfaction test (N = 385) showed a mean score of 4.40 (SD = 0.81), also at a high level. The developed products were practical, aesthetically pleasing, and suitable for elderly participation in production and sales.

This initiative supports the network of local creative industries, motivating innovation and enhancing intellectual capital. It also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, by encouraging sustainable design, resource efficiency, and circular economy practices within aging communities.

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