Dr. Iwan Risnasari, S.Hut, M.Si, a lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, succeeded in bringing ecoprinting to become one of Bank Indonesia's selected products at Sarinah, Jakarta. Ecoprinting products can be found in galleries at Sarinah and Grand Indonesia Jakarta.

Ecoprinting or printing techniques based on natural plant pigments are becoming increasingly popular. Besides being considered more aesthetic, ecoprinting products are also considered unique and there is only one form of pattern (no duplication) in each product, thus adding to the uniqueness of the work produced. Ecoprinting is made using natural dyes derived from plants, which consist of various organs such as leaves and flowers. Pattern making is done by printing patterns and transferring the natural colors of plants on various materials such as fabric and paper. Until now, coprint products are still produced manually without the help of sophisticated tools, so mass production of coprint products is still in limited quantities. Assisted by her assistants, Dr. Sari is able to produce a variety of unique and interesting products, such as headscarves, fabrics, notebooks, bags, clothes, and shoes with various models, motifs, and patterns.

Dr. Sari has been exploring the world of decoprinting since 2019. Over time, her business has become increasingly recognized and in demand by various parties. She considers that the high level of underutilized urban resources is a great opportunity to produce unique and interesting works. In addition, decoprinting activities are also considered to be an opportunity to improve the economy and reduce the negative effects of using synthetic dyes that have the potential to pollute the environment, so that decoprinting is classified as an environmentally friendly work.
 

In brief, the process of decoprinting begins with the collection of raw materials, such as flowers and leaves, that have strong color pigments. Generally, the types of leaves used by Dr. Sari are jati, gambir, dan secang leaves. Furthermore, the plant organs that have been collected are then arranged in such a way on the material to be printed, then pressed and steamed for approximately 2 weeks. In producing coprint products, Dr. Sari prioritizes using natural fibers over synthetic fibers. This is because natural fibers are considered to bind colors more strongly than synthetic fibers.

Due to its simple manufacturing process and easily obtainable raw materials, ecoprint has the potential to become one of the promising home industries. Therefore, Dr. Sari and her team, which includes Arif Nuryawan, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D and Dr. Bejo Slamet, S.Hut., M.Si conducted various community services related to ecoprint in various areas, such as Pangkalan Susu, Lubuk Kertang, and Sei Gelugur, Deli Serdang. Thanks to her hard work, Dr. Sari currently has one ecoprint business unit called Nauli Eco-print. In addition to producing various ready-to-use works, training in making eco-print products is also carried out in this business unit. Until now, Dr. Sari has been actively conducting various research to support the improvement of better ecoprint products. She believes that ecoprints can support community development about the potential of environmentally friendly businesses. (RJ/Ida)

Author: Renny Julia - Public Relations Staff

Interviewee: Dr. Iwan Risnasari, S.Hut, M.Si, - USU Lecturer

Photographer: Special - Special