Growing Alongside BRI, This UMKM Handmade Product Breaks into Export Markets

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Starting from a hobby in knitting, EKKYTA began developing as a creative business in Semarang in 2011. From skilled hands working with yarn, a range of handmade products has emerged, including character crochet baskets and macramé bags, prized for their uniqueness, durability and aesthetic appeal.

EKKYTA has not limited itself to a single technique or product format. The business continues to experiment, including using fabric offcuts to create functional pieces with character. Its marketing now reaches customers locally, between cities, across islands and, through third parties, overseas.

Owner Indah Prihatiningsih said that her passion for knitting was the starting point for building EKKYTA.

“EKKYTA began as a knitting hobby that later grew into a creative business. Armed with a spirit of learning, I continued to explore various knitting techniques and innovations to create products that are unique, aesthetic and have high selling value. EKKYTA first got to know linkumkm by BRI through the Semarang Rumah BUMN (RB) while taking part in various training programmes,” she said in a written statement on Thursday (8/10/2026).

For EKKYTA, keeping each product distinctive is a particular challenge amid many businesses using similar knitting techniques. That process, however, has brought the company opportunities to introduce its work to a wider market.

“EKKYTA’s biggest challenge is keeping our innovation going so that our products always stand out from other knitted products using similar techniques. Yet consistency in innovation has opened many opportunities to appear at prestigious events such as the UMKM EXPO(RT) BRILiaNpreneur 2023, the BRI UMKM EXPO(RT) 2025, INACRAFT, and various exhibitions organised by the Semarang city agencies,” Indah said.

Learning opportunities through linkumkm by BRI also equipped EKKYTA to manage its business. Knowledge gained from various training sessions was applied, helping EKKYTA win second place in the BRI Inkubator Rumah BUMN Semarang 2023. Meanwhile, BRI savings accounts, BRImo and QRIS are used to support its daily transaction needs.

The skills refined through knitting have also been shared with residents of the Semarang Women’s Prison. After receiving training from EKKYTA, they were then involved in the production process.

Separately, BRI’s Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) of Micro Business Empowerment, M. Candra Utama, said EKKYTA’s journey shows the importance of capacity building for business growth, while also giving UMKM room to benefit the surrounding environment.

“EKKYTA shows that a business can grow from something simple when its operators keep learning, innovating and are able to see opportunities around them. Equally important, the skills developed through the business can be shared and create opportunities for others to grow. linkumkm by BRI will continue to be developed as a space for UMKM players to learn, build capacity and grow their businesses,” he said.