March 21, 2023 – Center of Social Academic Service, Academic Service Office of Khon Kaen University and the Ban Dong Sewing Community Enterprise, Ubonrat District, Khon Kaen held an activity to develop community products for commercial competition and transferred the prototype products to the Community. The products have been made under the “Uk Pha” Eco-Print Project, which is aimed at utilizing natural capital to build great incomes under the Bio-circular Green Economy (BCG). Assoc. Prof. Chuchat Kamollert, Ph.D., D.V.M., Director of the Academic Service Office represented KKU to transfer the prototype products of blouses and scarf with the leaf-color patterns to Mr. Kan Thongsaeng, Head District Officer of Ubonrat District, Khon Kaen. These prototype products would then be given to the Ban Dong Sewing Community Enterprise to make the products at a competitively commercial scale.
Assoc. Prof. Chuchat Kamollert, Ph.D., D.V.M., Director of the Academic Service Office related about the past implementation of the Project that involved analysis of the potentiality and needs for activities to retouch old products and make new products. The Project is aimed at developing products that have commercially competitive capacity. The community enterprise wanted to develop something up-to-date and environmental friendly that promotes bio-circular green economy (BCG). The event was one of the missions of KKU Academic Service Office under the strategies to transfer appropriate technologies to communities for sustainable social development and upgrading the quality of life of the people under the Social Development Goal (SDGs1) – poverty mitigation. The Office of the President of KKU allocated budget for this purpose. The Academic Service Office also sees the importance of community strength and thus trained the villagers in the Eco-Print innovation or printing cloth with natural leaves. This innovation can be the identity of the community enterprise, for it will add values to the products and can sustainably raise incomes for the people.
Mrs. Kanya Sungkhasee, Chairperson of Ban Dong Sewing Community Enterprise said that her group comprises over 40 villagers. There are the material weaving group, sewing group and product manufacturing and selling group. Presently there are many products, including souvenir key rings with dinosaur prints, bags, hats, Pha Khaw Ma, scarfs, blouses and shirts, silk and cotton dresses. The group is interested to apply the Eco-print innovation or leaf-color dyeing to add values to the existing products. However, they had not known the right technique or method. So, with Khon Kaen University providing the training, the group would know how to make interesting products that could be sold. So far, they have customers buying their products and the sale was good.
News: Chalee Prom-in
