Turning Leaves into Money, UNISA Yogyakarta Students Train Sleman Residents to Make Ecoprints

 Students from the Community Service Program (KKN) at Universitas ‘Aisyiyah (UNISA) Yogyakarta brought creative innovation to Nogosari 1 Hamlet, Sleman. On Friday (August 29), they held an “Ecoprint Training on Canvas Tote Bags,” a program to empower residents with environmentally friendly skills that have economic value.

This activity aimed to introduce the ecoprint technique, which is a method of printing patterns on fabric using natural leaves and flowers. The participants, who were mostly mothers, were invited to practice directly, starting from selecting leaves, arranging them on canvas bags, to the technique of gently pounding to transfer natural patterns onto the fabric.

The residents looked enthusiastic when they saw that the leaves around them could be turned into beautiful patterns on tote bags. They not only learned but also took home their own creations.

Field Supervisor (DPL), Ririn Wahyu Hidayati, S.ST., M.K.M., stated that this training is more than just an artistic activity. According to her, ecoprint opens up opportunities for creative economic activities for the community.

“Through ecoprinting, the community can utilize natural resources in their surroundings to create products with commercial value. The hope is that this can become an alternative small business for residents,” said Ririn.

The Head of Nogosari 1 Village, Fitri Ningsih, also praised the program. She hopes that this new skill can be developed into a collective business in the future. This initiative by UNISA Yogyakarta students participating in the Community Service Program (KKN) serves as tangible proof that community empowerment can begin with simple things in the local environment.