Equality Through Ecoprinting in Yogyakarta

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Members of the Shero community arrange fabrics with motifs and colors using the ecoprint technique, Friday (13/8/2021), in Dlingo District, Bantul, DI  Yogyakarta.

A mode of production called ecoprinting was brought to Yogyakarta in 2015. The technique, which utilizes natural ingredients, has a positive social, ecological and economic impact.

Two women kept watch on two large pans containing sheets of white cloth being boiled on a gas stove. The fabric was being boiled in water mixed with tawas (potassium aluminum sulfate) and soda ash in the process of mordanting, preparing the fabrics for dyeing.

“The fabrics will be used for ecoprinting training,” said Indra Suryanto, 40, the founder of Eco.J Business Group, or Ecoprint Jogja, which produces ecoprints, at his house in Karangkajen village, Brontokusuman subdistrict, Mergangsan district, Yogyakarta, on Thursday (12/8/2021).

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Generally speaking, ecoprinting is a technique of giving motifs and colors to cloth, leather, paper or other media with natural ingredients, such as leaves, flowers and wood.

Established in September 2017, Eco.J consists of a number of residents of Karangkajen village, who are mostly homemakers. Their fabrics utilize leaves that grow in their surroundings, such as leaves of the lanang tree (Oroxylum Indicum L), guava, matoa (a typical Papuan fruit), star fruit and wild tea.

This is in line with an ecoprinting principle that encourages the utilization of natural ingredients in the nearest surroundings. "The leaves that we use are usually plants we cultivate ourselves," Indra said, a volunteer for Rumah Zakat.

As the market developed, Eco.J opened an ecoprinting training course for the public at the end of 2018. Members also attended a number of exhibitions in several regions, such as Surabaya, Bali, Bengkulu and Samarinda.

Now, their work has increasingly been accepted by the market. The prices range from Rp 350,000 to Rp 500,000 per piece, in the form of clothing fabrics, scarves, home decoration fabrics or finished garments. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the income of the business group was Rp 10 million to Rp 15 million per month.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Members of the Shero community show teak leaves which are commonly used to give motifs and colors to fabrics using the ecoprint technique, Friday (13/8/2021), in Dlingo District, Bantul Regency, DI Yogyakarta.

Despite the hit to its income due to the pandemic, Eco.J is surviving. In fact, the group was established not just for business but also for the empowerment of women.

Eco.J member Dede Marfuah, 42, said ecoprint buyers also came from other countries, such as the United States, Australia, the Netherlands, India, Ireland, Malaysia and Singapore. They visited the Eco.J secretariat in Karangkajen. "We usually accept them with broken English," Dede said.

The empowerment of residents through ecoprinting was also carried out by Puthut Ardianto, owner of Lemospires. Since learning ecoprinting in 2018, he shared his knowledge with women in Yogyakarta. "There are a lot of benefits to ecoprinting, including women\'s empowerment," he said.

One of the training courses was held in Dlingo district, Bantul. After the training session, the homemakers established the community of Shiro, an abbreviation of "She is a hero". Its members consist of 20 women from six villages in Dlingo.

Inggit Fandayati, 40, a member of the Shero, said the community routinely produced ecoprint fabrics in groups or individually. "The community gathers our ecoprints for sale through exhibitions and bazaars. Promotional offers are made on social media," she said.

Ecoprint Shero fabrics are sold for Rp 120,000 to Rp 400,000 apiece. The community can earn Rp 3.5 million a month. Even though the shared income is small for now, Shero members have begun to enjoy economic benefits.

"With ecoprinting, we as homemakers can be involved in economic activity. The benefits have been felt," Inggit said.

Side income from women’s work was also one of the reasons for the establishment of Eco.J. Even though the fabrics did not sell out at the exhibitions at the beginning of production, they refused to give up.

The turning point happened at an exhibition in Bandung, West Java, in November 2017. Of all exhibitors from various regions, they were the only ones who presented ecoprints. "Our work sold well, almost running out," said Indra.

Big potential

Generally speaking, ecoprinting begins with mordanting. After that, the cloth is dried and leaves are put on it. When dyes are added, another cloth that has been dyed with natural dyes can be laid on top of the fabric. The two sheets of fabric are rolled and tied up, then steamed to transfer the shape and color of the leaves, and other dyes to the fabrics.

"The whole lot is made of natural, environmentally friendly ingredients," Indra said.

In November 2020, the establishment of the Indonesian Eco-Printer Association (AEPI) was declared.

The ecoprinting technique was developed by an Australian artist, India Flint, in 2001. After that, it spread to a number of countries, including Indonesia. Lately, an ecoprinting business has appeared, including in Yogyakarta. In November 2020, the establishment of the Indonesian Eco-Printer Association (AEPI) was declared.

Puthut, who is also the chairman of the AEPI, said the development of ecoprinting in Indonesia could be said to have started in Yogyakarta. The reason is that the initial generation of ecoprinters had worked in the city since 2015. The potential for ecoprinting was very large, Puthut added, because Indonesia had a wide variety of natural dyes. "This makes people from other countries envious," he said.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Members of the Shero community show fabrics that are given motifs and colors using the ecoprint technique, Friday (13/8/2021), in Dlingo District, Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta.

Over the past few years, ecoprinting enthusiasts have increased. Puthut said around 1,000 ecoprinters were members of the AEPI, 190 of whom were from Yogyakarta.

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In line with the spirit of returning to nature, ecoprinting is not just an environmentally friendly product increasingly eyed by the urban public. Behind its processes and beauty lies the empowerment of women, homemakers who have power and voices.

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).