Water footprint of batik-making process: a case study on small enterprise in Laweyan, Surakarta City, Indonesia

Abstract

Currently, water is a product of economic value because groundwater scarcity is starting to occur everywhere. Improving water quality and efficiency is one of the targets in the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Generally, the batik-making process by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) uses groundwater in the process. It will cause negative environmental impacts. This research examines the water footprint of batik-making SMEs in Laweyan, Surakarta City, Indonesia, which use combination methods and synthetic dyes. Direct groundwater use for making batik cloth resulted a blue water footprint of 1.38 L/m2. Simultaneously, the grey water footprint is calculated by calculating the water needed to dilute COD from production, resulting in a value of 14.60 L/m2. The results showed that the water footprint of the batik-making process requires 15.94 L/m2 of water. The 1st washing requires more water than the other production stages. Reducing the water footprint in the batik industry can be done through proper management of water resources so that not only conserves water for humans and the ecosystem but also preserves batik as a cultural heritage.