In today’s increasingly competitive era, companies need to gain a competitive edge to win and maintain the market.

Products with a big competitive edge will have access not only to domestic but also overseas or export markets. When more and more products with a competitive edge manage to access export markets, this means increased foreign exchange earnings.

Gaining a competitive edge has become a major concern for Indonesia’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially those engaged in producing fashion products and accessories.

Thanks to the empowerment program run by state-owned bank PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), the MSMEs specializing in fashion products and accessories have made much progress in this regard.

Indonesian creative economic players’ undoubted creativity and innovation have contributed to the increased competitive edge that MSMEs have gained. Increasingly competitive fashion and accessories has led to the creative industry having a bright market potential and becoming a source of foreign exchange earnings.

A variety of fashion products, cosmetics and accessories could be seen virtually at the BRI UMKM EXPO (RT) BRILIANPRENEUR 2020, from Dec. 1 to 15, 2020 through www.brilainpreneur.com. The exhibition also displayed home decoration and handcrafts, food and beverages.

Indonesian fashion products and accessories are not only of high quality and have a competitive advantage that meets international standards, but they are also diverse in terms of ideas, design, material and local wisdom showcased by the products themselves.

Concrete evidence on creativity and innovation and the tenacity of the Indonesian people in presenting fashion works and the accessories are marked by the increasing number of emerging fashion brands and accessories. Apart from penetrating the domestic market, many of them are also eying export markets.

The fashion brands and accessories enthusiastically added to the export market included Brodo (shoes); Exodus57 (sneakers); The Kilisuci (local wisdom-based fashion) which produces shoe blankets (crafted stockings); and Otrahum (jacket). On top of that, there were products by Rupadana Silver, Janedan (bags), and Rubysh (eco-fashion).

Brodo, a shoe brand originating from Indonesia, is a stylish product of high quality, but is offered at an affordable price. Brodo uses local materials for all its products.

Go international

Thanks to the design that combines canvas, leather and woven fabric from Yogyakarta, which stood out and drew much attention from the visitors, Exdos57, a brand from Bandung, is increasingly popular at home. His creativity in exploring shoes with sneaker cutting has led Gally Rangga to gain success with the brand. The creativity and spirit of bringing local wisdom to product can also be found in the unique fashion product from Yogyakarta, The Kilisuci.

Inin Shilviana Nurul, founder of The Kilisuci tried to maintain the legacy and preserve the tradition through the brand established in 2010. The Kilisuci produces wedding dresses, suits, shirts and other various clothes, which combine basic prodo and surjan, two kinds of traditional cloth from Java.

“We hope the pandemic will be over soon. By taking part in BRI UMKM EXPO (RT) BRILIANPRENEUR, I am optimistic that we can develop our products for export markets,” said Inin, a debtor of BRI since 2014. Before the pandemic, The Kilisuci product once reached markets in China and Algeria. This year we plan to expand the market of our products to Africa and to join an exhibition in Nigeria that has been delayed because of COVID-19,” she said.

The ability to read market trends and adapt to changes has led to Asru Tsani being able to develop the Otrahum brand. He produces a variety of jackets, including touring jackets, T-shirts and merchandise.

Using his business flag, CV Ayung Sporindo, Asrul is now eying overseas markets to export his products and expand his business. “I hope I can connect with buyers and open an opportunity to promote more intensively to reach export markets,” said Asrul when asked about his expectations from the expedition of the creative industry held by BRI.

The pandemic has posed a challenge but, at the same time, serves as a trigger for creative industry players to improve themselves and remain creative to produce superior products that meet international standards.

“Despite the pandemic, we keep producing products for stocks while exploring the possibilities of exporting to overseas markets,” explained I Chandra Putu Ariguna, owner of Rupadana Silver from Gianyar. Rupadana Silver produces various kinds of accessories including silver pens which are uniquely designed by skillful craftsmen from Celuk, Bali.

“BRI prepares every phase of production. From the side of payment itself, BRI has already been connected with every player related to payment and now it is the era of open banking. What is important is educating the MSMEs,” said BRI consumer director Handayani in a panel discussion themed The Importance of Payment for Trade at BRI UKM EXPO9RT) BRILLIANPRENEUR on Dec. 13.

Constant efforts need to be made to support the various products produced by the MSMEs and encourage them to develop the products to penetrate the global market.

According to Handayani, BRI continues to focus on educating, mentoring and empowering MSMEs to enable them to climb to a higher class and go international.

BRI UMKM EXPO (RT) BRILIANPRENEUR 2020 recorded a significant increase in transactions, exceeding the purchase value recorded at a similar event last year, from Rp 1.1 billion to Rp 3.1 billion this year.

The exhibition has managed to facilitate the purchase of products by the MSMEs worth a total of US$59 by involving 99 prospective buyers who come from 24 countries, including the United States, the Middle East, Japan and Australia.

For further information on Bank BRI, please visit www.bri.co.id or contact

Aestika Oryza Gunarto

Corporate Secretary

Phone: 021-575-1966

Fax.: 021-570-091

Email: humas@bri.co.id

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