REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TANGERANG - Eceng gondok is a local name of Water hyacinth. It is an aquatic plant rise above the surface of the water. It has broad, thick, glossy, and ovate leaves. Farmers consider it as weed since it usually cover the surface of their ponds or their rice fields. 

Some creative hands can turn the plant into a fashionable bag. It is Ieko Damayanti (24 years) who initiates to make a bag from eceng gondok. It was started when she saw garbage from this plant. She is also sad to see the outsiders buy the eceng gondok only for 2.000 IDR per kilogram from Tangerang.

With the initial capital of 150.000 IDR, in 2008 Damayanti started the eceng gondok handicraft industry. She also empowers many housewives in her neighborhood. Gradually, her home industry grows. In her hand, a kilogram of eceng gondok can turn into fashionable bag with various shape and design. The idea comes from her hobby in designing and drawing.

“Sometimes I follow the global trends. Then, I imitate it, only with more unique design,” she said. Located in her house at Tangerang, the owner of Le-Craft can produce 10 bags a day. The price is very competitive. It started from 60.000 IDR to 100.000 IDR. Quite cheap for a fashion item. A small bag only needs a half kilogram of eceng gondok, while the big one needs 1.5 kilograms.

Damayanti sometimes faces several problems in developing her industry. It varies from getting the basic materials such as colorant to a place for exhibiting her products. “I want to have a workshop, so that people can see the process,” she said. She also strangles with capital. Here she is now, struggling to develop her home industry. “The point is we should have a passion,” she said. 

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