BANYUWANGI – Tren back to nature yang digandrungi masyarakat global ditangkap dengan baik para pelaku-pelaku usaha batik di Banyuwangi. In order to reap these very bright prospects, Batik craftsmen are now starting to intensively use natural dyes to apply to their batik work.
Various types of plants that can be used as natural dyes are easy to obtain in Banyuwangi. Some natural dyes that are quite easy to obtain include hornbill leaves (a kind of kale), and lamtoro leaves. There are also mango leaves, teak leaves, coffee skin, ketepeng leaves, Mimosa, and cat whiskers.
To further enrich the use of natural dyes and increase the number of batik motif creations, Banyuwangi Regency Government together with the Ministry of Industry (Ministry of Industry) RI promotes technical guidance for batik craftsmen.
Famous designer, Merdi Sihombing, involved to train batik craftsmen who are dominated by small and medium industry players (SMEs) the. Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas also took the time to visit the technical guidance location, namely at the Sekar Bakung Batik Studio, Glagah District, yesterday (24/8).
It says, Training that combines national designers and local craftsmen is carried out periodically in the run-up to the Banyuwangi Batik Festival (BBF) and the Swarna Fest which was held 9 next October. BBF is Banyuwangi's annual agenda to encourage the development of the batik industry. Swarna Fest is an event for natural dyed textile industry creations initiated by the Ministry of Industry.
“We continue to encourage the performance of batik craftsmen. The economic impact is direct to MSMEs and craftsmen. For example, More and more tourists are bringing home batik souvenirs,Said Anas. She said, with natural dye batik, Craftsmen can make more profits because the price of natural colored batik can be higher because it is in demand by certain segments.
"With the content, the marketer suggests that this batik uses natural dyes, the price could be better. There is a niche market interested in such products, while also cutting the fabric distribution chain, chemical dyes, and natural dyes that they previously purchased from other regions," he said.
Banyuwangi batik craftsmen from Sanggar Sekar Bakung, Sri Sukartini Gatot, said that his party was very enthusiastic about using natural dyes. After intensive training, he and his fellow craftsmen know more about natural dyes.
“Previously, I used to produce batik with natural dyes. It's just that so far the materials I have used are still limited, so the resulting colors are less diverse. After being taught by Bang Merdi, I know that there are lots of natural colors. Even, can be obtained from the leaves around us," he said.
Meanwhile, Merdi Sihombing appreciates the growth of batik MSMEs in Banyuwangi. He judges, Banyuwangi batik has great potential to be developed. Especially, Gradually the market began to form with the presence of tourists.
“As long as you are painstaking, then there is a touch of marketing, this would be great. A working system needs to be built. With natural dyes the market is very high. Here I encourage creativity, how to form composition and coloring. The potential is extraordinary," he said.
Previously, Section Chief (Kasi) Industrial Resources and Industrial Infrastructure Directorate of Small and Medium Industries (SMEs) Ministry of Industry, Eripson Mangasi, said the back to nature trend was spreading in European countries and various parts of the world.
"Even, In Europe the use of dyes is very strict," he said. By using natural dyes, added Eripson, besides being more environmentally friendly, Banyuwangi batik will also be more popular internationally.(radar)
