Maintaining the Pulse of the Public‑Service Uniforms Hub in Kramat, Senen

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The whirr of embroidery machines echoed and clashed from the narrow alleys in the Kramat, Senen district of Central Jakarta on Tuesday, 19 May 2026.

Between the sounds of stitching and metal tapping, a number of buyers could be seen entering and exiting stalls, carrying black plastic bags containing security guard uniforms, official shoes, and other security gear.

Along Jalan Kramat Pulo to Jalan Sedap Malam, a row of official equipment shops stands tightly packed.

Signboards reading ‘TNI/Polri/Satpam Equipment’, ‘PDH-PDL’, and ‘Bordir Komputer’ hang in front of semi-permanent stalls, some covered by blue tarpaulins.

From security guard uniforms, PDL boots, caps, insignia, pins, to embroidery and custom sewing services, almost all security gear needs are available here.

Yet the beat of trade in the area is slowly changing.

In the past, buyers filled the shop corridors to hunt for gear in person, but now some transactions are shifting to mobile screens.

“It used to be busy before the pandemic; now it’s much less,” said Rio (23), the owner of a public-gear shop on Jalan Kramat Pulo when contacted by Kompas.com at his shop on Tuesday.

Rio has been selling in the area for about 10 years. He initially launched the business in a small kiosk at the back of the area, before moving to a more strategic location.

In his shop, a wide range of security gear is sold. From security guard uniforms, official shoes, pins, wing badges, to embroidery, and even sporting equipment, all are on metal shelves that fill the tight space.

However, according to Rio, the shift in consumer behaviour is the biggest challenge at present.

“Mostly because of online shopping. People nowadays are more practical; instead of leaving home, they’d rather buy online,” he said.

Even so, he continues to operate the physical shop while launching online sales. Currently, he says, online and offline sales shares are roughly balanced.

“More or less the same,” Rio said.

For Rio, the area is not merely a marketplace for security gear. Kramat has become a living space that endures through changing times, from conventional shopping to digital commerce.

Yet new challenges persist. Marketplace competition, shifts in consumer patterns, and infrastructure plans such as the MRT are said by traders to potentially affect the flow of buyers in the area.

“If it becomes an elevated line, people might not pass below,” Rio said.

Nevertheless, traders remain, adjusting to changes.

According to Dede, before the Covid-19 pandemic, this area was much livelier than now.

During the pandemic, some products even saw surges in demand.

“Back then, PPE and white safety shoes were fairly busy,” Dede said when met.

Now buyers still come every day, but the pace is no longer as busy as before.

Sales depend more on seasons, such as recruitment of security personnel or for certain educational institutions.

“When it is the TNI education season, items for the TNI are in high demand,” said Dede.