Cinta Batik Semarang Develops Eco-Friendly Batik Business with BRI's LinkUMKM

Jakarta (ANTARA) – PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk continues to encourage micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to grow through business capacity strengthening and market expansion, one of which is Cinta Batik Semarang. The batik artisan from Semarang has been running its business since 2006 and now reaches customers from various regions in Indonesia and abroad. Owner of Cinta Batik Semarang, Iin Windhi Indah Tjahjani, revealed that her business began with a batik training programme organised by the Semarang City chapter of the National Handicraft Council (Dekranasda) as part of efforts to revitalise Semarang batik. Over time, Cinta Batik Semarang became known for its hand-drawn batik products using natural dyes, which are more environmentally friendly while remaining affordable. Starting with capital of around Rp50,000 and very simple batik-making equipment, Iin began production with limited knowledge. Various failures in batik making did not dampen her enthusiasm to keep learning. Limited access to consultation on batik techniques encouraged her to actively attend exhibitions to seek inspiration while improving product quality. ‘Getting to know LinkUMKM from Rumah BUMN BRI, one of the reasons we joined is because there are many useful activities for the advancement of our business,’ said Iin. To support business operations, Cinta Batik Semarang also utilises QRIS and BRI savings. Currently, its products are marketed through offline sales, marketplaces, exhibitions, and business-to-business (B2B) collaborations. The batik collections are produced in limited quantities, giving them exclusive value for consumers. By the end of March 2026, LinkUMKM had been utilised by more than 15.57 million MSMEs as an online business mentoring platform, covering capacity building, market expansion, and acceleration of business upgrading. LinkUMKM features six integrated main services, namely UMKM Smart, Rumah BUMN, Media, Komunitas, Etalase Digital, Coaching Clinic, and other services such as NIB registration, supported by more than 840 learning modules to strengthen business skills. On a separate occasion, BRI Corporate Secretary Dhanny stated that Cinta Batik Semarang’s journey demonstrates how a business started with limitations can grow to reach customers from various regions, even internationally. According to him, perseverance in maintaining product quality and the ability to adapt are important factors that drive business sustainability. ‘Cinta Batik Semarang shows that products based on local wisdom can have strong competitiveness when managed consistently and innovatively. The effort to present eco-friendly batik while preserving cultural heritage is an example of how MSMEs can create sustainable economic value. BRI will continue to strengthen the role of LinkUMKM as a learning and business development ecosystem so that more MSMEs can enhance their competitiveness sustainably,’ concluded Dhanny.