Malang (malangkota.go.id) – In the midst of the creative industry of Malang City, there is an extraordinary potential for rattan crafts. The reason is that the rattan craft industry products are not only strong in the local market but have also penetrated the international market. One of the small and medium industries in Malang City that has been engaged in rattan weaving crafts for decades is the Dona Doni rattan gallery.
Owner of Dona Doni, Misriwati Agustina revealed that she has been engaged in rattan weaving craft business for approximately 34 years. Assisted by 20 employees, Dona produces woven crafts starting from raw materials of mendong, water hyacinth, banana stems, and rattan into various forms of household needs such as tables and chairs, bags, tissue holders, food serving covers, souvenirs, and many more.
"The long story of rattan weaving is an original art of the archipelago's cultural heritage. The art of weaving from rattan raw materials, which has now developed with plastic or synthetic raw materials. In addition to being cheaper, it can also help protect the earth from the extraordinary amount of plastic waste," explained the woman who is familiarly called Bu Dona.
He further explained that technological advances allow the process of plastic waste into recycled plastic seeds. So that it can be utilized into various processed products with high creativity including being processed into woven crafts. In the era of globalization with technological advances, this is what also answers the scarcity of natural rattan. In addition to its availability, it is rare, resulting in relatively expensive prices on the market.
"At the beginning of this woven craft business around 1997, we experienced difficulties and were on the verge of bankruptcy due to the scarcity and high cost of natural rattan raw materials. So many employees were forced to be laid off because they could not pay salaries. But our determination and enthusiasm stopped there," he said.
In the midst of the obstacles faced, Mrs. Dona said that she continued to try to move forward with full confidence to continue to struggle to run the woven craft business that she had pioneered. She actively markets her products both by participating in various handicraft exhibitions and marketing through her workshop. Thanks to her perseverance and determination, she finally got buyers from abroad who brought her products to penetrate the export market to Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, the United States and Abu Dhabi.
"The advantage of our product work is a variety of new product designs or regular updates. We always serve customer needs with a variety of product models that have a variety of color choices so that they can satisfy customer desires. I do not only hope that our business can grow and develop alone. But also want this rattan woven craft art to continue to develop and can be enjoyed by all levels of society," concluded Mrs. Dona.
With creativity and hard work in producing and marketing her products, Dona Doni was able to survive during the Covid-19 pandemic. Because she continues to update her designs with products that are in demand by customers such as woven creations that include all household furniture products, from kitchen utensils, flower vases, pot racks, to furniture.
In addition to participating in preserving the national cultural heritage of the existence of rattan weaving crafts. This business can absorb productive labor in the surrounding area so that it is hoped that it can reduce unemployment.
"We also provide motivation and encouragement with skills training to the younger generation to love and continue to preserve the culture of rattan weaving art. So that rattan weaving art skills can bring a good name to the nation and country in the world market to bring in foreign exchange," concluded Dona. (eka/ram)
