IFC: Digitalisation Opens Market Access to Increase Batik Artisans' Welfare
Digitalisation helps shorten long distribution chains, allowing regional artisans to connect directly with buyers in major cities and even overseas.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Designer and National Chair of the Indonesia Fashion Chamber (IFC), Lenny Agustin, believes that digitalisation opens opportunities for regional batik artisans to expand market access and improve their welfare by connecting them more directly with consumers in large cities and international markets.
Lenny stated that the use of digital platforms such as social media, e-commerce, and live shopping can help shorten the distribution path of batik products from artisans to consumers.
“Digital platforms are a game changer. Digitalisation helps cut long distribution chains, so regional artisans can connect directly with buyers in big cities and even abroad,” Lenny told ANTARA in Jakarta on Saturday.
According to her, wider market access through digital channels presents an opportunity to increase the economic value of batik products while strengthening the position of artisans within the fashion industry supply chain.
In addition to serving as sales channels, digital platforms can also be utilised to build consumer understanding regarding the process and value inherent in batik products.
Lenny noted that visual content via digital platforms can be used to narrate the batik-making process to consumers, including the complexity of the manual process and the skills required by the artisans.
“Digital platforms serve as a very effective visual education tool to tell the story of the batik-making process to a global audience,” she said.
According to Lenny, such education is vital because hand-drawn batik (batik tulis) possesses a production character that differs from mass-produced fashion products.
The process of making batik tulis requires significant time and manual skill through numerous stages; therefore, it is inappropriate to compare these products solely on price against fast fashion products.
Consequently, Lenny believes that batik development strategies must emphasise product value, including aspects of exclusivity and the production process, so that consumers understand the difference between batik as a cultural work and printed textiles with batik motifs.
“When consumers understand the value behind a piece of cloth, they will not mind paying a higher price,” she said.
On the other asid, digitalisation can also support the sustainability of the batik industry by expanding the consumer base and opening new market opportunities for artisans. However, the sustainability of the batik industry must be accompanied by the development of human resources willing to engage in the production of batik tulis or traditional batik, which requires a lengthy process.
Lenny assessed that increasing interest among the younger generation to continue the profession of batik artisan is essential to maintaining the batik industry market and strengthening artisan welfare.
“We need to raise the economic welfare of artisans so that this profession is once again viewed by young people as a profession that is both proud and cool,” she said.