Water hyacinth is a plant that usually become aquatic pest. But, with creativity and hard work, water hyacinth can be transformed into a handicraft that has a high selling value.
Water hyacinth is classified into inflorescence and grain shape, tubular-shaped petals. The shape of the seeds is round and the color is black. The fruit resemble three-space box and the color is green. Hyacinth has fiber roots.
To get wicker raw materials made from hyacinth, these are useful following tips to be considered.
1. Searching for Hyacinth
Hyacinth is an easy found plant. In Indonesia it is usually can be found on streams or in similar places. Besides, there are sellers who sell water hyacinth that is dry and can be directly utilized.
2. Cleaning Process
Unless it from the sellers, hyacinths from the natural streams have to be cleaned. It can be washed and sorted. Once it cleans, separate the hyacinth between the stems and leaves by using a large size knife or scissors. The tools is used instead of hands (manually), so that will produce the best quality wicker raw materials without dents, crack and ripped.
Water Hyacinth Sheet
3. Drying Process
The next stage is drying. Hyacinths can be dried by sunlight, using an oven or other dryer tools. The natural drying process by using the sunlight is the drying method that produces the best raw materials compared by using dryer tools.
4. Designing Product
After getting dry hyacinth, it has been obtained raw materials to produce water hyacinth wicker into craft material. The next stage is to make a design for the shape of water hyacinth wicker that will be produced into useful tools or accessories.
5. Webbing Process
Water hyacinth is a raw material that can be made as wicker before become ready-used product. There are various patterns of webbing that can be made. All patterns created depend on product design. Products that are produce from hyacinth wicker such as: baskets, bags, sandals and others.
That’s it. May this information be useful for you!