Goyor sarongs lose their appeal
Goyor sarongs lose their appeal
Kartika Bagus C., Contributor, Surakarta, Central Java
Indonesians are quite familiar with sarongs that are both easy to
use and find, as well popular after having been transformed by
modern, contemporary designs.
Previously, sarongs were only worn to keep one warm on cold
nights or during prayer at mosques. But in the hands of creative
designers, sarongs have been turned into stunning skirts, gowns,
blouses and fashion accessories.
Unfortunately, not all types of sarong, which come from many
parts of the country, have enjoyed the same good fortune.
Traditional Goyor sarongs from the Central Java town of
Surakarta, for instance, are started to lose their past fame and
could even slide into oblivion unless efforts are made to
conserve them.
The extensive use of weaving machines in large-scale textile
plants is one of the reasons blamed for the decline in the
production of Goyor sarongs.
Moreover, most of the weavers are now older people, while the
younger generation is reluctant to produce the sarongs the old-
fashioned way using the delicate, traditional weaving
instruments. The young people prefer the quick printing process
instead.
Goyor sarongs like many other conventionally made woven
textiles, need plenty of time and patience in the making. They
enjoyed their heyday before the country's independence in 1945.
At that time, the sarongs gained popularity not only because they
were cheap, but also due to their interesting motifs. In no time
at all, many companies invested their money to produce the
sarongs.
These days, the industry is in a sad state as there are only
about 10 to 15 weaving businesses still producing the sarongs.
These companies only have a handful of workers while their
production is small.
One of the sarong makers, Said Oemar Soengkar of the Semanggi
company, said it was hard to get younger people involved in the
business although many people were still interested in wearing
Goyor sarongs as they were made of fine cloth and felt
comfortable to wear. Printed sarongs, on the other hand, were
made of synthetic materials which left the body feeling
uncomfortable.
"Goyor sarongs are different from batik. In the production
process, if a mistake is made in a sarong, we cannot do much
about it," explained Said, whose products are sold under the
brand names of Ringgit Mas, Srikandi and Juara Putri.
One of the workers in Said's firm, Agus, said the company
could only produce about 144 sarongs a day to meet the demand
from buyers coming from Surabaya or cities in West Java.
The sarongs are sold at various prices according to their
quality, but average prices range from Rp 60,000 to Rp 150,000
each.
With a limited number of weavers, which is considered the most
pressing problem, and the low number of sarongs produced, it is
difficult to see how the industry will be able to recover its
former glory.
"I leave it to fate now. There is no help forthcoming from the
government either. I have no idea how much longer the Goyor
sarong tradition can survive. It pretty much depends on the
current weavers. I'm afraid that when they can no longer do their
job, nobody will replace them and this type of sarong will
disappear for good," said Said, the only person in his family
that is still in the business.
According to Adji Isworo, a lecturer at the Surakarta-based
Sebelas Maret University's School of Arts textile engineering
department, consumers were not really interested in Goyor
sarongs.
"These sarongs do not have an attractive look. Moreover, they
unravel easily. Consumers are more interested in the ordinary, or
pelikat (sarong with plaid pattern), sarongs that you can easily
find in the market," said Isworo, a textiles graduate from the
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
Government assistance could not be relied upon as the
government did not have the means to support all small-scale
businesses across the country. In order to survive, Adji advised
the Goyor sarong makers to be more creative in attempting to
transform their sarongs into customer favorites.