Jakarta, 10 September 2023 – Dian Oerip seemed was seen engaging in conversation with one of the visitors at her booth at the ASEAN Weekend Market. She seemed incredibly enthusiastic to explain explaining a 100-year-old Dayak Iban woven fabric of West Kalimantan, one of Oerip Indonesia's premium fashion collections.

“This is our premium collection. The motif is very detailed, the artisan who weaved this has passed away. tere’s probably no one else who could make something like this," explained Dian, who is from Ngawi, East Java.

Dian Errakumalasari, explained that all the tenun (woven fabrics) clothes which are tailored into premium clothing are from her personal collection which she acquired from all across the archipelago. She always looks for vintage fabrics in every region she visits.

“Her story with old woven fabrics come with her tripsto remote areas. "When I ask the old female residents if they had any old fabrics they wouldn't just give it away, some are inherited from their ancestors, some gave them away because of the money," said the travel enthusiast when visited by the Communications and Media Team of the 43rd ASEAN SUMMIT 2023 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Weekend. Market, Sunday, 3 September 2023.

The event, which was organized by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) together with the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), was aimed at of the ASEAN countries. It is hoped that MSME actors can promote each other's products and open up the potential for collaboration with each other.

Indonesia’s identity in Tenun (woven fabrics)

Wastra Nusantara (the archipelago’s traditional fabric), continued Dian, is Indonesia's identity and we should be proud of it. This is what makes the Chemical Engineering graduate dedicates her life to preserving and popularizing Indonesian fabrics both domestic and abroad.

"At first I liked traveling around Indonesia to see that in remote areas from Sabang to Merauke they have woven fabrics. I think the colors, motifs, and philosophies are very interesting. Why aren't we proud of Indonesian fabrics?” she said.

Inspired by her trips, Dian then had the initiative to make clothes from her fabric collection. Even though she is not a fashion designer, she dared herself to design a minimal-cut concept on the neck and arms. Then she uploaded iher products to her Facebook account.

These products received good responses from many of her friends. Since then, she has been enthusiastic to produce with limited capital and production continues to grow. In 2015, someone contacted her Instagram account inviting her to take part in an exhibition in Florida, United States, and introduce Tenun at an event aheld by the VIDA Florida: Voice of Indonesians in Florida, a non-profit organization which aims at preserving, presenting and promoting the diversity of Indonesia's heritage through cultural, education, and charitable events.

"I just went, and continued my trip to the Hague and other European countries," she said, who already has distributors in Florida, London and Rotterdam.

Creating job opportunities

Now Oerip Indonesia has 60 employees. Not only woven fabrics, this local brand also produces batik, songket and sarong.

Some of the fabrics processed include various national traditional clothes such as tenun Dayak Iban, Ulap Doyo from Kalimantan, Ulos, tenun Tanimbar from Maluku, tenun Sikka of Sumba, Bajawa from East Nusa Tenggara, tenun Lombok from NTB, tenun Tarum and Gringsing from Bali, tenun Badui from Banten and many more. 

Dian has a vision to empower Indonesian traditional fabrics, including the weavers, to continue to work and prosper. To respect the weavers, the fabrics produced are uncut or minimally cut on the neck and arms only. This is the characteristic of her product, large-size clothing.

The ASEAN Weekend Market is a promotional event as well as empowerment of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This step is also a symbol of how ASEAN's focus is to strengthen this sector. This is because it reflects Indonesia’s ability to face various crises, one of which is due to the role of MSMEs.

MSMEs have proven to be a pillar and driving force for the economies of ASEAN countries amidst the challenges of the global economic crisis, both in terms of job creation and direct contribution to economic growth.

MSMEs in the ASEAN region are recorded as being able to absorb 35 to 97 percent of the workforce which is to contribute 35 to 69 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in each country. A total of 45 MSMEs from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia showcased their products at the event.

One of the MSME actors from Malaysia, Hodi, at the same location as Dian, expressed appreciation for the ASEAN Weekend Market. He said that visitors were very enthusiastic about trying North Malaysian culinary specialties.

Another MSME actor, Malika from Cambodia, said the same thing. Since the interest of visitors was very high, this event also served as an opportunity to promote her products. The value of her products that were made by empowering local women was that they were environmentally friendly. She sold bags made from bamboo, rattan and water hyacinth.

The ASEAN Weekend Market is a form of real contribution to open opportunities for MSMEs to get access to a wider market, especially in the ASEAN region. As President Joko Widodo said when closing the 43rd ASEAN Summit 2023, the essence that Indonesia wants to build during its Chairmanship in ASEAN 2023 is to make ASEAN the Epicentrum of Growth. (Donna/TR/Elvira Inda Sari)

***

For more information, please contact:

Director General of Public Information and Communications of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics – Usman Kansong (0816785320). 

Get more information at http://asean2023.id, https://infopublik.id/kategori/asean-2023, and https://indonesia.go.id/kategori/ragam-asean-2023

Photo caption: A 100-year-old Iban Dayak motif woven fabric, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan from Oerip Indonesia at the ASEAN Weekend Market took place on 1-3 September 2023 at the Multipurpose Building. (Donna/ the Communications and Media Team of the 43rd ASEAN SUMMIT 2023