Eco-friendly fashion, also known as sustainable fashion, is an approach in the fashion industry that focuses on sustainability, reducing negative environmental and social impacts.
This concept includes the use of eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton and recycled materials, ethical and resource-efficient production processes (water and electricity), and clothing practices such as vintage or pre-loved.
The goal is to create a balance between fashion trends and environmental sustainability also human well-being. One of the sustainable fashion is ecoprinting, that uses natural dyeing techniques with natural materials such as leaves and flowers.
What is Ecoprint?
Some of us might rarely heard the word "ecoprint." However, for textile industry workers, the term is likely familiar. Ecoprint can be defined as a technique for printing on fabric using natural or environmentally friendly dyes and creating leaf motifs manually by applying them to create patterns.
Ecoprint fabric began trending in 2000s and remains popular today. Experts consider ecoprinting an evergreen fashion trend, meaning it will last forever.
India Flint, an Australian artist, has been actively creating ecoprint fabrics and has become a world-renowned ecoprinter. Her work features monochromatic motifs featuring flowers, leaves, and twigs from Australian flora. Until the ecoprinting trend has reached Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia.
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Southeast Asia's rich tropical flora has the potential to be explored more broadly and richly, producing ecoprints that are not merely monochromatic but also richer in Asian colors. Ecoprint fabric products include unique and artistic fabrics for clothing, fashion accessories, and interior design.
Ecoprint is different from batik, where to make batik we have to design a raw pattern first and this pattern tends to be the same as others, whereas in Ecoprint the pattern really depends on the technique of arranging leaves/flowers on the cloth.
Production Techniques
At least, there are three commonly used natural fabric printing techniques. Each technique requires different methods, tools, materials, and result in varying levels of difficulty in the fabric dyeing process.
1. Pounding Techniques
Pounding is a technique for creating patterns on fabric by beating. This technique might be the simplest, and therefore, many people choose to use it. Pounding involves placing several flowers or leaves on the fabric and then striking them with a hammer.
2. Steaming Techniques
The steaming technique is a method for creating ecoprints using steam. This technique requires a large amount of materials and a lengthy process. To produce an ecoprint with a captivating pattern, you need to steam a sheet of fabric that has been affixed with various plant ornaments.
Typically, people use a small piece of tubing to roll the fabric to ensure the design remains intact. Afterward, thread or string is wrapped around the fabric roll to secure it in place. The steaming process itself lasts for two hours to allow the plant pigments to fully release.
Creating ecoprint fabric using the steaming technique requires three stages: the mordant or soaking stage, the dyeing and motif formation stage, and the fixation stage.
3. Fermentation Techniques
Ecoprint fabric is made using the leaf fermentation technique by soaking leaves in vinegar water and then pounding them, similar to pounding. The steps for making ecoprint fabric using the leaf fermentation technique include collecting leaves, flowers, or other plant parts containing natural dye pigments and soaking them in vinegar water.
After soaking for a while, arrange the leaves or flowers on the fabric, which has been spread out on a flat surface. Cover the fabric with plastic and then pound it with a hammer or other object. The results are visible, and the ecoprint fabric is ready to use.
Earth Tone, Natural Hues
Fabric and clothing dyes can also be obtained naturally from nature. Natural textile dyes have been commonly used since ancient times.
Southeast Asia, with its rich natural resources, also has natural resources, such as turmeric (yellow), sappan wood (red), indigofera (blue), mangosteen peel (purple), soga peel (brown), ketapang leaves (black), and many more. Most of it can found in Southeast Asia especially in Sikka, Flores, and Thailand regions.
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We can actually use everything nature provides. No matter how small our actions are today, they will have a positive impact on the environment. This includes ecoprinting. Even with simple materials, we can create products that are just as beautiful as those made from luxurious thing.
References:
Kumparan. (2023). Mengenal Sejarah Ecoprint yang Muncul Tahun 2000. https://kumparan.com/sejarah-dan-sosial/mengenal-sejarah-ecoprint-yang-muncul-tahun-2000-211HxdHabzS/full
VOI. (2024). Mengenal Teknik Ecoprint pada Pakaian: Pengertian dan Jenis-jenisnya. https://voi.id/lifestyle/363531/mengenal-teknik-ecoprint-pada-pakaian
Arae. (n.d). Ecoprint. https://sahabatarae.id/ecoprint/
Media Indonesia. (2021). Mengenal 5 Bahan Pewarna Tekstil Alami yang Melimpah di Indonesia. https://mediaindonesia.com/weekend/415026/mengenal-5-bahan-pewarna-tekstil-alami-yang-melimpah-di-indonesia
