Indonesian traditional rattan furniture industry has unlimited development potential

Our lives have been surrounded by too many furniture made of wood and composite materials. There are not many people using rattan furniture. However, with the global warming, people have realized the catastrophic consequences of massive deforestation and wood consumption. As a result, people began to look for and value alternative materials. The development and use of bamboo and rattan plants has gradually entered the Vision, and has aroused widespread concern.

Indonesia is rich in natural vine resources. It is located in the tropical island country Indonesia. It has unique geographical conditions. 70% of the world's 250 kinds of natural vines grow here, mostly in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. In the dense jungle of the island.

A store owner who did a rattan business told reporters, “The rattan is very long. Some vines can go around in the woods and go through several hills to reach the end, but the best and most expensive rattan is produced in Indonesia. , and mostly vines 3 to 4 cm in diameter."

In a rattan furniture factory with more than 20 years of production history, Mr. Lucas, director of the factory, briefed reporters on the processing of rattan. After peeling, grinding, polishing, and high-temperature fumigation, the rattan can be processed into the required parts in the mold frame and assembled into furniture. 3 to 4 centimeters thick rattan can be used as the skeleton of furniture, less than 1 cm in diameter, can be used for decorative pieces of furniture or woven into a decorative surface. In addition, raw rattan can also be used for weaving after collecting peeled cane. Because the texture of rattan is different from that of wood, it is like a plant, and it does not crack, is flexible, and is light in weight. Therefore, rattan furniture made in Indonesia is favored by consumers in the international market.

According to statistics from the Indonesian Association of Indonesian Rattan, Indonesia had mastered 85% of the world's natural cane supply in the 1990s. Before 2008, Indonesia had nearly 700 rattan furniture factories. In 2008 alone, rattan furniture and rattan handicrafts created US$260 million worth of exports. This was the glory period of Indonesian rattan furniture.

Indonesia's rattan furniture industry faces new challenges Currently furniture produced by Mr. Lucas's rattan furniture factory is mainly exported to Russia and the European Union, and orders are relatively stable. Mr. Lucas said that under the impact of the international financial crisis, orders from the United States decreased, but exports to Russia increased, so the factory did not suffer much. Good things will naturally be marketable.

However, rattan furniture itself also has weaknesses. Although rattan furniture does not crack like wooden furniture, it cannot be soaked in rainwater. After soaking, the joints may expand. Even after brushing, rattan furniture cannot be placed in the open air. The rattan furniture is light, has no sense of weight, and is flexible. Therefore, the furniture cannot be made to be as tight as wood furniture when it is designed, and appears rough. This also determines that rattan furniture can only be a supporting role when placed indoors.

In Mr. Lucas's factory, because the production process of rattan furniture is relatively simple, the production equipment has not been substantially upgraded over the years. Workers, as always, according to customer needs, on the rattan cutting, shaping, bonding and fixing manual operations.

In fact, Indonesia's rattan industry not only has external demand problems, but also has its own reasons for keeping up with the development of the times. As Indonesia, a world-provider country, has restricted the export of natural vine raw materials, it has been unable to meet the demand of buyers in Europe, the United States, and Japan, forcing buyers to buy plastic synthetic vines. In addition, the furniture made of synthetic materials is more beautiful and more in line with the needs of modern urban people. This has led to the rapid development of the Indonesian rattan industry is now facing the opportunities and challenges of industrial upgrading, design and process innovation.

Low-carbon furniture meets market needs The natural vine is a kind of creeping plant that is wrapped around trees, so people don't need to cut down trees. People can easily take vines from the trees. In West Sumatra, Central Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, local farmers have grown palm vines on a small scale for more than 100 years. It is estimated that Indonesia's rattan reserves reach more than 12 million tons, while the rattan's growth cycle is short, and Indonesia's humid climate and fertile soil are sufficient to meet the needs of Indonesia and the international market. Compared with wooden furniture, natural rattan furniture can reduce environmental pollution while creating more job opportunities and expanding exports. The vigorous development of rattan processing industry and the protection of forests in Indonesia can complement each other. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify the development of this industry.

Mr. Summariani, the Indonesian vine club, believes that although many Indonesians love the rattan furniture, the rough processing and incomprehensible workmanship make people choose furniture of other materials when making a shopping decision. Indonesian rattan furniture should combine art and craftsmanship in the production process. Through modern techniques, the quality of rattan furniture is enhanced. In addition, rattan furniture should learn from wooden furniture and learn about international trends and experiences. Rattan furniture can be designed with wood or other materials added to enhance quality.

The reporter saw a variety of smooth, luxurious and elegant rattan furniture on the website of several Indonesian rattan furniture. These furniture are full of modern flavor and stylish features in the simple nature. The traditional Indonesian rattan furniture industry incorporates the elements of the times and its vitality will be even longer.

Indonesia's Vinegar Industry In 2009, the global furniture manufacturing industry was hit by the international financial crisis, and the market demand decreased. Indonesia's rattan furniture exports fell to 167 million U.S. dollars, and there are only about 200 rattan furniture factories. In order to protect rattan plants and ensure the supply of raw materials for the domestic rattan industry, Indonesia has revised and implemented regulations on rattan export trade. Mr. Abdur, Secretary-General of the Indonesian Rattan Furniture and Crafts Association, believes that Indonesia has forbidden the export of rattan raw materials and semi-finished products until the lifting of the ban in 2006. The world’s largest rattan furniture processing and exporting countries have been importing high-quality rattan raw materials from Indonesia, but Indonesia’s rattan furniture exports are less than one-fifth of those countries’ exports. In order to reduce the export of rattan raw materials and semi-finished products, increase the export of manufactured products and increase the added value of exports, Indonesia has re-adjusted its rattan export policy to meet the domestic manufacturing demand and to restrict the export of high-quality rattan raw materials and semi-finished products so that Rattan industry benefits are maximized.

Indonesia’s VOA Indonesia’s Sumayani said that it is good for the Indonesian government to promulgate new regulations to protect the domestic rattan industry. However, this policy ignores the fact that the original rattan material cannot be exported directly and the country cannot complete it completely. Digestion and other unfavorable factors have led to nearly 700,000 farmers living on harvesting and processing raw vines to lose their income, and 2.3 million workers have been indirectly affected.

Data from Indonesia's Ministry of Industry shows that Indonesia's rattan production is about 600,000 tons per year, and Indonesia's furniture industry has about 300,000 tons of rattan and rattan products every year. Mr. Sumajani believes that because the international financial crisis has suppressed the demand of overseas markets, Indonesia's domestic market has excess inventory of rattan and rattan semi-finished products. Therefore, export regulations should be modified according to actual conditions in order to maximize the protection of rattan processing industry. . Mr. Sumayani also stated that if measures are taken properly, Fujioka can generate an additional 200-400 million U.S. dollars in export revenue each year and provide 5 million jobs.

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