Not a few of Indonesian handicrafts are actually better known abroad. This includes crafts from the local brand Manamu Handwoven which introduces one of the eastern Indonesian traditions in the form of hand weaving using wire. Owner and Founder of Manamu Handwoven, Melania Karolina founded Manamu Handwoven in early 2019. Reporting from the BRILianpreneur website, Manamu Handwoven was inspired by lulu amah, traditional Sumba jewelery in the form of a wide cylindrical necklace made of hand-woven copper wire. "When I moved to Bali I saw this, a craft originating from eastern Indonesia with a hand-woven technique using steel, copper and brass wire that we make in such a way without the help of tools so it's 100% by hand," said Melania to detikcom. She admitted that she saw quite promising opportunities from this craft, especially in the export market. Moreover, these wire crafts can be processed into various products such as fashion accessories for necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headpieces, as well as bags and clothes. Besides that, her party also makes art & living products using hand-woven techniques such as lamps and art panels. Melania initially marketed Manamu Handwoven products through bazaars in Bali. From her efforts, she realized that more expatriates appreciated her products than local residents. So that finally she began to recognize market opportunities in foreign countries and build networks. "We export more, you could say 95% to the export market. We have exported to the Maldives, America, Germany and Australia," said Melania. "Because we focus on niche markets, since this pandemic I have also changed my marketing strategy to focus more on B2B because the opportunities are bigger and the transaction value is greater. But that doesn't mean we ignore the B2C market," she explained. Apart from doing business, through Manamu Handwoven, Melania also promotes the vision and mission of cultural preservation and community empowerment. She sees that hand weavers are rare to find, so her party wants to continue to preserve this original craft from the country so that it does not become extinct. Her party also encourages the empowerment of craftsmen who are all domiciled in Bali. So the hope is that Manamu Handwoven can be a place to empower friends who weave crafts from wire. "We want in 3-5 years to open the first weaving school in Bali so we want education and have a place so that it can become a tourist destination. So tourists don't just go to restaurants or shopping, but there is a mission of education and experience as well so that empowerment can keep going," Melania hoped.
During the pandemic, Melania admitted that she faced various challenges. However, according to her, this is not an obstacle, but rather time for her to evaluate and improve management, individuals, and herself as the leader of Manamu Handwoven. Melania's journey in introducing handicrafts from Indonesia continues. One of them is through the BRILianpreneur showcase at the G20 event, to be precise at Apurva Kempinski Bali, which seeks to introduce the uniqueness and local value of Indonesian MSME products to foreign countries through participating countries in Indonesia's G20. Melania said that she could get this opportunity because she took part in the BRILianpreneur event in 2022. After previously being registered as a participant in 2020. "Register again in 2022 and I'm grateful to be curated into 20 MSMEs that can showcase at the G20 Bali and also in Jakarta in December. Because my products are also available at BRI friends, it just so happened that at that time SMESCO and the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs saw it, " she said. According to him, from this BRILianpreneur event she could get the opportunity to collaborate with various other parties. Including Suzanna Ramadhani, the wife of the Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, Teten Masduki. Through these various partnerships, her party has the opportunity to further introduce this handwoven craft to a wider market outside of its retail shop which is located at the Bali Collection Mall Nusa Dua. At the G20 event, her party did not only participate in the BRILianpreneur showcase but also took part in the B20 Spouse Program. "The hope is that from a business point of view, we want to be known not only in the foreign market but also in the domestic market. After all, fish are handicraft products from the country. We also want to be able to expand export markets in other countries," she concluded.
