Optimising Digital Marketing, Rembang Batik SMEs Penetrate Global Market

Jakarta, VIVA – Hawien Wilopo has successfully built the Batik Tulis Lasem business with the Gunung Kendil brand in Rembang, Central Java, starting from a hobby of drawing since primary school. His skill in applying ink from the canting to create modern motifs while preserving traditional batik principles has won the hearts of local communities and those abroad. At least 150 batik works in the form of fabric and ready-to-wear clothing sell quickly every month, with turnover reaching Rp20 million or approximately Rp150 million per year. This success is attributed to the support from the Rumah BUMN of PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (SIG) in Rembang, managed by its subsidiary, PT Semen Gresik. “I have no background in batik making. It started in 2010 when a friend asked me to help design for his batik business. I saw that they always sold out. Then in 2012, I joined batik-making training and decided to start my own business. My business was bustling at that time, until the Covid-19 pandemic caused sales to decline. Alhamdulillah, I got information about RB Rembang and joined in 2021,” recalled Hawien Wilopo, as quoted from his statement on Wednesday, 6 May 2026. Hawien Wilopo received extensive training and mentoring at RB Rembang, from business management to optimising digital platforms for marketing. He was also involved in various exhibitions. His works frequently appear in fashion shows, making the Batik Tulis Lasem Gunung Kendil brand more widely known. Some prestigious exhibitions he has participated in include the Tong Tong Festival in The Hague, Netherlands in 2022, the Future SMEs Village Side Event G20 in Bali in 2022, the UMKM Bazaar at Sarinah in Jakarta in 2023, and Inacraft in Jakarta in 2024. Being able to join national and international exhibitions has been a proud experience that Hawien Wilopo never imagined, propelling his business to new heights. Hawien Wilopo emphasised that optimising digital platforms has brought customers not only from Java but from across the archipelago, such as Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Bali. Even more impressively, enthusiasts of his works come from abroad, including Germany, Belgium, Italy, Korea, and Japan.