Converse Shoes Made Interior Industry Worth IDR 1.6 Billion Exported To US

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita during the release of exports of Converse shoes produced by PT Yih Quan Footwear Indonesia to US Photo: Doc. Ministry of Industry

JAKARTA - The Indonesian footwear industry has penetrated the global market again. This time, PT Yih Quan Footwear Indonesia, located in the Batang Integrated Industrial Zone, Central Java, released the export of Converse shoes to the United States (US) worth 100,000 US dollars or equivalent to Rp. 1.6 billion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp. 16,345 per US dollar).

In addition to releasing exports to America, the company also sent its products worth 60,000 US dollars or around Rp. 980,000,000 to Australia at the same time.

Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said the export was clear evidence of the strength of the Indonesian footwear industry ecosystem.

"This export is a momentum that is clear evidence of the strength of the Indonesian footwear industry ecosystem, supported by collaboration between the government, industry players, Batang Industrial Estate, Aprisindo and global buyers such as Nike," Agus said in a written statement, quoted Friday, August 22.

According to Agus, this synergy not only contributes to economic growth, but also creates quality employment opportunities, strengthens social inclusion and responds to global market sustainability demands.

The footwear industry itself is still a leading sub-sector for labor absorption and foreign exchange earners. As of the second quarter of 2025, the skin and footwear industry has grown by 8.31 percent (yoy), well above the national economic growth of 5.12 percent.

Meanwhile, until February 2025, the sector has absorbed 921,000 workers, an increase of 35 percent compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, during January-August 2025, 18 large-scale companies invested with a value of IDR 10 trillion, increasing production capacity by 73.4 million pairs of shoes and nearly 250 million pairs of footwear components, as well as creating more than 100,000 new jobs.

"The export of the footwear industry also shows a positive trend, reaching 3.77 billion US dollars in January-June 2025, or growing 13.6 percent compared to the previous year. Currently, we are also occupying the 6th position of world footwear exporters with a market share of almost 4 percent global," explained Agus.

The United States is still the main market for Indonesia's footwear exports, followed by the European Union and a number of non-traditional countries.

The government has also succeeded in reducing footwear export resiprocal rates to the US from 32 percent to 19 percent, the lowest tariff compared to several other Asean countries.

According to Agus, the export of Converse shoes this time became a symbol of the sustainability of exports to the US market, which last year reached 1.03 billion US dollars or almost 50 percent of Indonesia's total footwear exports to the country.

Nike Inc. as the brand holder cooperates with 50 factories in Indonesia, including 20 footwear factories. Last year, Nike Inc. managed to export more than 200 million pairs of Nike, Converse and Jordan shoes to the global market.

"On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, I express my highest appreciation to the management of PT Yih Quan Footwear Indonesia and to Nike Inc. which for more than three decades has been a strategic partner of the Indonesian footwear industry," he said.

In the future, continued Agus, his party will continue to support the development of the national footwear industry through strategic steps, including the creation of a conducive business climate, investment support and strengthening of industrial estates and expanding access to non-traditional markets.

"We also encourage negotiations on fair trade agreements and support improving sustainability standards and green industry," he concluded.