PWN can emerge as a benchmark for wastra Nusantara lovers to avail premium-quality products with noble cultural value.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, Bank Indonesia (BI), and Smesco Indonesia collaborated to launch the Wastra Nusantara Center (PWN) to promote Indonesian traditional fabrics (wastra) as one of the top MSME products.

"We are optimistic that PWN would turn out to be a center for knowledge and creativity for Indonesian MSME fabric producers. Thus, the PWN can promote brilliant ideas, business model innovations, as well as remarkable and relevant works," Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs Teten Masduki stated at the PWN online launch in Jakarta on Friday.

Masduki expects the PWN to not only be a gallery that showcases wastra products but also a role model in learning to build a competitive Indonesian wastra business, with large market access and a supportive financing system.

According to the minister, wastra has been well-known globally, with two of its popular and preferred types being batik and weaving. In the wake of the pandemic and the challenges of the digital world, Masduki called to formulate a strategy to ensure the survival of wastra MSMEs.

Related news: Use technology in batik industry for increasingly competitive products

"We must ensure a stable future of our MSMEs, as they are going to blend creativity with technology," the minister affirmed.

Working along with BI, Masduki expects up to 30 million Indonesian MSMEs to utilize digital technology. The minister also expressed keenness to collaborate to bolster the growth of MSME exports and elevate MSMEs to be part of the national industrial chain at the global level.

At the launch event, BI Deputy Governor Doni P. Joewono was optimistic that PWN would emerge as a benchmark for wastra Nusantara lovers to avail premium-quality products with noble cultural value.

"At the same time, we also expect the PWN to be an educational and media center to expand the market of MSMEs products," Joewono stated. Related news: Indonesian batik becomes increasingly popular worldwide



Translator: M Baqir, M Razi, Kenzu T
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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