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| UMM lecturers with five students of the Faculty Agriculture and Animal Husbandry developed ecoprints by utilizing mangroves. (Photo: Special) |
Eco-print is one printing technique that can be used as an alternative to reduce environmental damage and ecosystems due to chemical waste from textile factories. A lecturer from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM), Dr. Ir. Wehandaka Pancapalaga, M.Kes, implements this technique. He and five students of Fakultas Perikanan dan Peternakan (FPP) (trans: Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry) developed an eco-print by utilizing mangroves. Interestingly, they can create various products such as bags, clothes, and shoes from this coloring technique.
The idea came up in 2019 while testing the research he had done. Mangrove is considered to be a natural dye for eco-print. The research was very detailed, from the selection of materials to the production process. This affects suitable products and benefits society.
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Wehandaka, his nickname, explained that the results of mangrove extracts stay strong. So it is suitable for coloring. The system used is through a steaming or steam machine where the heat level is more guaranteed.
Therefore, the color produced is also more evenly spread.
"The temperature that we use is around 75 degrees and its steamed for two hours. If the temperature is too high, the leather used for ecoprinting will be damaged. Meanwhile, if the temperature is too low, the color of the leaves and flowers will not be able to stick to the leather," he explained.
Wehandaka said he was earnest about his research, including selecting the type of mordant. He has tried various methods, including alum, lime, and arbor mordants. As a result, alum mordant gives maximum results and is suitable for the natural materials used. Meanwhile, the leather used for this technique is crust-tanned sheepskin. This was selected because it is more flexible and does not fade quickly.
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"This ecoprint research is in the process of being registered for a simple patent. But while waiting, we also perpetuate it in several events such as the matching fund program with UMKM Bululawang Malang. As a result, the local people are very enthusiastic to produce the ecoprint because in Bululawang Village there are many leather craftsmen who still monotonously use plain black color," he said.
Wehandaka and his team hope that the public will accept their eco-printing research well. They aim to help leather craftsmen be more creative, especially in terms of colors, techniques, and more environmentally friendly methods.
"For the next project, I am currently trying to combine ecoprint and carving so that the end result will look like embossed leaves. So it will look more interesting and good," Wehandaka concluded. (put/nia/wil)
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