The 7 Towns of Indonesian Famous Handmade Leather Craft Manufacture. Indonesia was known as one of the largest producers of various kinds of leather-based products worldwide. Starting from shoes, bags, accessories, and furniture that was made of leather found in many local markets.
The basic leather materials used for these products are made from such variety of animal skins. Including cowhide, sheep, deer, or snake skins. Those are also made from plants such as bark fiber, banana midrib, or water hyacinth. Handicraft products from genuine leather are in great demand by local and foreign consumers. They have properties and characteristics of heat resistants, good elasticity, good stretchability, and chemical resistance. For example the manufacture of jackets, shoes, bags, gloves, hats, and belts.
Interesting data on leather and footwear production
Launched from the Ministry of Industry website; The leather products and footwear industry showed positive performance. The Leather, Leather Goods, and Footwear Industry and the Textile and Apparel Industry grew positively in the first quarter of 2024. Respectively, the growth of the two subsectors reached 5.90 percent (yoy) and 2.64 percent (yoy) in the period (based on Badan Pusat Statistik data). This increase in performance also helped boost the contribution of the processing industry to economic growth, which was 19.28 percent (yoy), or up from the same period in 2023 which reached 18.57 percent (yoy).
But do you know which areas or cities in Indonesia are well-known as the center and largest of produce for home-based leather crafts?
Here are the 7 data for you :
Towns of Indonesian Famous Handmade Leather Craft Manufacture.
1. SUKAREGANG Village, GARUT (WEST JAVA)
Garut is located in the province of West Java. The center for home-made leather handicrafts in the area was called Sukaregang. According to history, this area has started producing leather crafts since 1930. The cold area forced the locals to use clothing made of leather to withstand cold weather.
The leather industry then developed rapidly in 1970 with the establishment of many large and small leather industrial factories in Indonesia, especially in the city of Garut. Currently, there are 330 tanning and leather processing business units spread across almost all corners of Sukaregang with an area of approximately 79 hectares.
Sukaregang in Garut then slowly became the greatest industrial city of leather in Indonesia. Apart from supplying leather procurement in the country, Garut is also able to penetrate the export market abroad. The competitive products are leather jackets, shoes, gloves, hats, bags, and other accessories.
2. MANDING Village (YOGYAKARTA)
Yogyakarta is one of the provinces in Java out of 34 provinces throughout Indonesia. Center for the home- made leather crafts in Yogya located at Manding, a tourist village on Jl. Dr. Wahidin Sudiro Husodo, Manding Village, Sabdodadi – Bandul Regency. The location which is only 15 kilometers from Yogyakarta is easy to reach with the guide characteristic of a large gate that reads “Manding Leather Handicraft Industry Centre” at the front of the road.
Yogyakarta is not only well known at around of domestic market but also penetrates foreign markets such as in the Middle East for leather production. Currently, there are at least hundreds of leather craftsmen who still survive in Manding with a total of approximately 40 leather craft showrooms. Various leather crafts to produced such as bags, wallets, jackets, belts, and shoes.
The quality of the products offered by the craftsmen here was also very good. Even though they were made traditionally, all products had been made in Manding use of 100% genuine leather. So that they are equivalent to the quality of world other branded leather products.
3. TANGGULANGIN, SIDOARJO (EAST JAVA)
Centre of the largest and most famous leather handicraft in East Java located in a sub-district called Tanggulangin. Several villages included in this sub-district have traditional leather craftsmen for products such as wallets, bags, shoes, jackets, and belts. Custom products and models can also be adjusted to buyer wishes using good qualities of cow or sheep leather.
Purchases with small or large parties will be served at relatively cheap prices from the market by around 100 local craftsmen there. In terms of quality, leather craft products from Tanggulangin are not inferior to other branded products. Even some of their showroom already have regular customers from abroad such as Malaysia, Brunei, and several other countries in Southeast Asia.
4. MAGETAN (CENTRAL JAVA)
The leather craft industry in Magetan district is in Ngariboyo and route to the Sarangan Lake tourist attraction. Precisely on Sawo streets, Selosari village, about 1 km west of the city center of Magetan. Along the way on Sawo streets, you will see rows of shops or leather craft showrooms. Leather products produced are wallets, leather bags, jackets, shoes, and leather sandals.
The most famous products from Magetan are leather shoes which are traditionally made by craftsmen with model uptrend or market tastes. Leather processing in this area has been started since 1960 by some locals and can only be enjoyed by people from Magetan and surroundings at that time. However, Magetan leather craft products currently are well known in the world with good quality and very affordable prices.
5. MALANG (EAST JAVA)
There are many leather craftsmen were found and scattered in Malang. Among them is the center leather industry in the village of Dilem, Kepanjen, Gading Kasri village, Klojen, Pakis, Lawang, Lowokwaru and Turen regions. The prevalence of leather craftsmen in Malang requires you to be more observant in choosing quality products.
But the quality of products offered was good with affordable prices. It’s proven by the consumers who come not only from Malang, but also from outside of the city and Java. The majority of products made are leather shoes which are known to be durable and water resistant.
6. CIBADUYUT, BANDUNG (WEST JAVA)
Bandung is the capital city of West Java. The city famous as a tourist area with the nickname “Paris von Java”, also has a center for home leather craft industries. The name of the area Cibaduyut which is a sub-district city in the South of Bandung. The most famous leather products from this area are leather shoes and bags. However, there are also many other leather craft products such as wallets, sandals, backpacks, belts, and jackets.
There are selected leather craft products ranging from lowest quality to higher or equivalent to imported leather products at relatively affordable prices for large or small purchases. Many locals and foreign customers make this area to become their supplier of merchandise because of the high quality and variety of models.
7. SUKAWATI-GIANYAR, BADUNG, & TABANAN (BALI)
Who doesn’t know Bali? The province of Bali is a tourist city in Indonesia which already famous for its panorama and culture throughout the world. In addition to tourism and handicrafts of silver jewelry, woven bamboo, and antique furniture, Balinese leather crafts are also well known and have penetrated export markets such as Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other Asian countries.
You could design your own leather craft products such as bags, jackets, and shoes while ordering raw materials has been determined and made of production there. The largest leather production areas in Bali are: Sukawati-Gianyar, Badung, and Tabanan. Various types of leather crafts are made with such designs according to the tastes of foreign consumers combined with local culture. So, it makes consumers interested because of the very unique models and affordable prices.
Suggestion :
Those are the data for 7 cities as the center of famous leather handicraft producers in Indonesia which we collected as local guides. If you are interested invest in Indonesia as an importer or producer of leather-based handicrafts, the 7 cities above could be your guides.
Besides, it’s a good idea to develop because Indonesia was rich in natural resources as well as quite cheap for the labor cost. You can survey first and do business mapping in the area known as the center for home-based producers and leather craft producers in Indonesia.
Good luck!
