Painting Hobby Turns Profitable: IDEacraft Transforms Home Decor Products into Business Opportunity Thanks to BRI Empowerment

PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, or BRI, continues to strengthen its role in advancing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through mentoring programmes, business capacity enhancement, and opening wider market access. One business owner who has felt the benefits of this support is IDEacraft, a home decor MSME from Semarang City established in 2019, which now markets its products through social media, hotel galleries, and rest areas in Central Java.

IDEacraft owner Swabawa Arif Wicaksono explained that his business was born from a desire to present unique and commercially valuable home decor products. His interest in the art world became the starting point for IDEacraft’s journey in producing various home decor items that blend aesthetics and function.

‘The idea to start the IDEacraft business came from a hobby of painting and seeing an opportunity to create home decor products that are beautiful, unique, and have commercial value. This business started with capital of around Rp300,000 and a tool for making candles. From the sales of those initial products, the profits were continuously reinvested as business capital for about four years,’ said Swabawa.

Over time, IDEacraft has continued to develop its product range, from teapot lamps, batik-painted teapots, and cookie jars, to hand soap bottles, which are the most sought-after items by customers. By prioritising unique designs, high aesthetic value, and competitive pricing, IDEacraft’s products now reach markets across various regions in Central Java. In 2022, the business also began expanding its marketing network through local MSME communities.

In the course of developing his business, Swabawa joined BRI’s Rumah BUMN programme. The various programmes offered have helped IDEacraft strengthen its business capacity while opening up wider market development opportunities.

‘I decided to join because Rumah BUMN BRI provides various facilities that support business development, ranging from training, curation programmes through BRIncubator, market access through the Rumah BUMN gallery and UMKM EXPO(RT), to support for connecting with financial services such as BRImo, EDC, QRIS, as well as access to KUR and commercial credit financing,’ he added.