Cekka Studio Founder, Nurul Idzi (left,) when he received the selected UKM award in the 2022 Indonesian Creation Appreciation Craft Sub-sector with their Agel product design from the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy

ITS Campus, ITS News — Alumnus of the Master of Technology Management (MMT) Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) initiated a startup called Cekka Studio, the first in Indonesia to use agel material as a home craft material. Through agel materials, Cekka Studio wants to promote environmentally friendly craft products that can have a social impact through community empowerment.

With a background as a graduate of ITS Industrial Product Design (Despro), Nurul Idzi had the idea to innovate product designs from Agel. Through the use of agel, Cekka Studio wants to disrupt the development of products from nature and provide a social impact on the community and be environmentally friendly. “Cekka uses agent material that is not contaminated with chemicals so it does not damage the environment but product quality is still guaranteed,” he explained.

Furthermore, according to the woman who is usually called Idzi, agel fiber itself is gebang leaf fiber that is spun and woven. Agel fiber can be an alternative natural material besides rattan and water hyacinth. Having a natural brownish appearance, Agel can be used as a combination of natural nuanced furniture. In the hands of Cekka Studio, agel is transformed into lanyards, coasters, wall hangings and boxes. There is no doubt that the quality of the agel material is not easily broken and is stronger.

Based on agel material, Cekka Studio creates household furniture decoration equipmentStarting from Idzi’s involvement in a lecturer’s project to empower agel material weavers, he had the idea to develop this agel business. Currently, Cekka Studio is collaborating with the Joint Business Group (KUB) in Sambas Hamlet, Bangkalan Regency. Through collaboration with Agel rope weavers, it is hoped that the presence of Cekka Studio can improve community welfare. “Later, these women will focus on production and the Cekka team will initiate ideas and marketing,” explained this woman from Situbondo.

Founded in August 2020, Cekka Studio has won several nominations even though it is still relatively young. Currently Cekka Studio continues to develop and is gathered under the ITS Business Services Incubator (ILBI). As of now, Cekka Studio products have been sold for more than 2,500 products. Product deliveries have also reached the Land of the Lion, Singapore.

Cekka Studio Founder, Nurul Idzi (right), when welcoming the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno visiting the Cekka Studio booth

Cekka Studio itself is the first Indonesian startup to promote the use of agents. The prevalence of Agel material in people’s ears makes it a challenge in marketing the product. In this case, Idzi made marketing effective by direct selling at several exhibitions and bazaars. “That way, we can provide brand awareness to the public and they can see firsthand what an agel looks like,” explained the founder of Cekka Studio.

Cekka Studio has gone through ups and downs in starting a business. The reason is, at the start of the business, the Cekka team missed the lack of quality control in production and delivery. As a result, some items become defective, for example bent crafts. “We also evaluated it with the team and finally worked it out by forming a core quality control and tightening team before product delivery,” explained Idzi.

Nurul Idzi (right) and the Cekka Studio team with the Chair of KUB Melati, Bangkalan Regency during a collaboration review

Wanting to continue to develop, Cekka Studio hopes that its innovative products will be better known to the wider community. Not only that, Cekka Studio also wants to expand its products to all home crafts produced with agel material. “So we want to promote to the public handicraft products that are more environmentally friendly,” concluded Idzi. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Silvita Pramadani

Translator: NA