The potential of the textile industry in Indonesia is supported by the number of small-scale fabric producers exceeding 300 thousand business units by absorbing 450 thousand workers. Woven fabrics as part of Indonesia's cultural wealth have a large market opportunity with the export value of ikat weaving reaching USD 701.6 million in 2024. According to the Director General of Small, Medium, and Miscellaneous Industries (IKMA) of the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) Reni Yanita, woven fabrics are Indonesian cultural products that are famous for their beauty abroad and can have a substantive economic impact. "Therefore, we need to continue to preserve and develop this industry (woven fabric) together with all relevant stakeholders," she said last week. She revealed that woven fabric industry players often face challenges in efforts to improve product quality and innovation. For example, limited resources, such as dyes, so the Directorate General of IKMA is now continuing to encourage woven IKM players to switch to using natural dyes.
According to Reni, natural dyes are not only in accordance with the principles of green industry because they are environmentally friendly, but their availability is also abundant because they can be found in the surrounding nature, making them suitable for use by SMEs. Indonesia's natural wealth, she added, can be used as natural dyes, including turmeric, jackfruit wood, mango leaves, and guava. She said that natural dyes are not only economical, but can also increase the added value of woven products. In an effort to increase the competitiveness of woven SMEs, the Directorate General of SMEs together with the National Crafts Council (Dekranas) held a Technical Guidance on Natural Dyeing for Woven SMEs in East Kalimantan which took place in Penajam Paser Utara Regency on March 18-21th, 2025. Technical guidance was given to 20 woven SMEs from the local district with instructors from the Center for Standardization and Industrial Services (BBSPJI) for Crafts and Batik.
