Mlatiwangi Develops Natural Fiber Bags to Reach International Markets Thanks to BRI LinkUMKM

Yuli Muhawati (center) owner of Mlatiwangi/ Photo: BRI Doc.

SEMARANG - PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BRI continues to strengthen its role in encouraging the progress of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through mentoring programs, capacity building for business actors, and opening wider business access.

One of the business actors who felt the benefits of the support was Mlatiwangi, an organic fiber bag UMKM from Semarang City which was established since 2017 and now its products have reached various regions in Indonesia to foreign markets.

Mlatiwangi Yuli Muhawati's owner revealed that his business started from his brother's request in Amsterdam, Netherlands to make mukena bags. In the early days of pioneering the business, the products marketed were still in the form of finished bags that were bought back. However, after finding a suitable tailor, Yuli started to produce his own bags made from natural fibers such as pandan, eceng gondok, rattan, rattan, to banana leaves.

"At first I made a place or mukena bag based on a request from my brother in Amsterdam. At that time, the products sold were still in the form of a finished bag, until finally I found a tailor and started producing it myself using various natural fiber materials such as pandan, eceng gondok, rattan, and banana leaves which continue to be developed until now," said Yuli.

Over time, Mlatiwangi has developed by presenting products that combine natural fiber weaving and Indonesian textile fabrics, such as batik and lurik. Souvenir coin purses and cosmetic purses are the most sought-after products because they are affordable and have unique designs.

Mlatiwangi product/ Photo: BRI Doc.

In the process of developing the business, Yuli got to know LinkUMKM through the BRI BUMN House. The various assistance and facilities he received also opened up opportunities for Mlatiwangi to fill products in the Bandeng Juwana souvenir shop, which contributed to increasing business turnover.

Currently, Mlatiwangi products are marketed through its own gallery, resellers at Bandeng Juwana and General Ahmad Yani Airport souvenir shops, marketplaces, and various exhibitions, including BRILianpreneur 2022 and Inacraft 2024.

Its marketing reach includes Semarang, Jakarta, Medan, to Papua, even penetrating the export market to Amsterdam in 2017 and Brunei Darussalam in 2020. To support business operations, Mlatiwangi also utilizes BRI services such as QRIS, mobile banking, and savings.

Until April 2026, as many as 16.46 million MSMEs have used LinkUMKM to expand market access, increase business capacity, and encourage the acceleration of MSMEs to rise in class. The platform presents six main features, namely UMKM Smart, BUMN House, UMKM Media, Community, Digital Showcase, and the Register for Business Identification Number (NIB) service.

On a separate occasion, BRI's Corporate Secretary Dhanny said that Mlatiwangi's journey showed how creativity in processing natural fiber materials could become a business opportunity with economic value. According to him, the ability to present unique products and meet market needs is one of the keys for MSMEs to continue to grow.

"Mlatiwangi proves that the utilization of natural fiber materials combined with Indonesian textiles can produce unique and value-added products. The ability to maintain product quality while utilizing business opportunities is an important factor in increasing competitiveness and strengthening the sustainability of MSMEs. BRI will continue to present various programs that help MSMEs to increase business capacity, strengthen product quality, and expand business development opportunities," concluded Dhanny. (ADV)