The Prospect of Handcrafts
Online English Magazine | August 8, 2008
Handcrafters at Work
Handcrafts are labor intensive creative art products. The process of creating handcrafts requires diligence, attention to detail, and creative skills. The handcrafts products are in high demands and many of them cannot be fulfilled due to limited stocks of products because there are only a few handcrafters are available to fulfill the demands.
Handcrafts business opportunities are still big because the export market for handcrafts are not all fulfilled. There are more demands than the capacities of handcrafts production.
In Cilacap, the raw materials required to create various kind of high value added handcrafts, such as bamboo, are available in abundance. This is a plus factor because bamboo has far greater value if they are turned into handcrafts. Human resources, or skill workers, needed to create the handcrafts are easily acquired. Unskilled workers can also be trained for only several weeks to turn them into skillful workers to produce quality handcrafts. This sector have many hidden potentials that yet to be discover.
The creation of handcrafts requires labor intensive process, in this way, more job opportunities are created. If the creativity of local people can be tapped, various kinds of new handcrafts model can be invented. This strategy can help certain districts to create labor intensive production center and therefore open up more jobs opportunities and improving the economic prosperity.
If the focus is for the export markets, quality is a must. Creating quality handcrafts requires continuous refinement of skills. Through the helps of local government, and friendly banking systems that support small businesses, such great opportunities to enhance the districts economic condition can be created. It’s a win-win solution for all the people involves.
Creating handcrafts also helps reduce deforestation because natural products such as woods and bamboo must be refined first to produce higher value products instead of selling them as they are. If the environment is the ultimate goals, the production of handcrafts for export commodity can actually help reduce deforestation, both in the long run and in the short run. This is the green revolution for Indonesia.
If the production of handcrafts are raised, the markets can be expanded by opening up new markets demands. This is certainly possible by creating networks of markets. Internet networks system helps us to achieve this goals comfortably. Through E-bay.com for example, even a single product can be advertised worldwide very cheaply and sold directly to end-user, and therefore get far greater value. DHL and Fed-Ex are two competent companies to handly the logistic system. The security of transaction system can be ensured through the used of Paypal financial system.
The potential in labor intensive handcrafts sectors can be tapped through synergistic efforts of supportive local governments, indigenous handcrafters, kind bankers, and savvy business persons who understands how to turns this business opportunities into reality. Cilacap Regency is the place for such quality investments.
Written by Martin W.
