Meet The Makers

Ibu War comes from the east of Yogyakarta on the island of Java. In addition to having a stand at the local market and watching over her children, Ibu War has been weaving large baskets for many years, a traditional craft in her region. She often uses pandan or waterhyacinth leaves that she weaves at home.

Ibu Sri lives in Wonocatur in eastern Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta is known to be an artistic and cultural hostpot of Indonesia. Proud of her region and of still being able to make a living from a traditional and artisanal trade, Ibu Sri is an experienced basket weaver. She also has skills in the craft of Batik, an ancient method of colorful drawing on textiles using wax.

Ibu Amit lives and comes from the Yogyakarta region, a very green area that can have heavy rainy seasons. In addition to being an experienced weaver for many years and working regularly hand in hand with her two friends Ibu Ciwuk and Ibu Yamti, she has a small fruit juice business in her village.

Ibu Ciwuk lives in the village of Kanoman in the Yogyakarta region where she lives with her children, very close to the villages where her friend Ibu Yamti and Ibu Amit live, with whom she has woven for several years. They weave together baskets or carpets made of natural materials recovered from pickles or “weeds” to be removed such as banana leaves, pandan or even water hyacinth from the river.

Ibu Yamti comes from the village of Brosot in the Yogyakarta region, surrounded by greenery, where she lives with her family and community. When she is not looking after her children at home she weaves baskets or rugs with materials such as banana leaf or pandan leaf. She has worked hand in hand for several years with her friends Ibu Ciwuk and Ibu Amit. She is grateful to be able to make a living from a traditional profession in her region.

Jon is the glue that holds many different artisans together, overseeing any collaborative work which is needed. He is from the Indonesian city of Malang in East Java, where he is happily married. When Jon is not working you will find him anywhere that singing is involved.

Puguh has a keen eye for furniture detail, and takes advantage of this useful skill in achieving perfection in each piece he works on. Puguh and his wife as well as twho children are from the Indonesian island of Lombok. Nila also handmade furniture and they often work together in couple. They live in commune with fellow artisans. He is not just fond of authentic furniture but also loves sate food.

Bogi, who comes from Lombok but is now a Bali resident, handles the finishing touches of furniture detailing. He swells with pride everytime he is surrounded by his three kids or when he works together with his wife, Winda. When Bogi is not lacquering, waxing, or painting, he likes to spend his time fishing in the river.

Ayi does each piece of furniture in a precise and methodic manner, making sure the end result is as high as his standards. Aside from being a proud furniture maker, he also takes pleasure in being the father of three.

Suar is a handyman who lives in Bali with his wife and baby boy. For him, every furniture should not only look aesthetic, but more importantly, it should provide utmost comfort to anyone who uses it.

Nila is a mother of two and wife to Puguh, who she often works with on many of our pieces. Apart from loving martabak (a pancake delicacy), she is passionate about creating works of art with her hands in the furniture she makes. She especially likes working on old wood, as it is rich in history, and finds deep satisfaction in knowing it will someday fall into the hands of someone who will cherish her creation.

When not with her son, Winda finds herself immersed in her craft: making furniture. She especially finds the most fulfillment when a piece of creation is about to become finished and looks as remarkable as she had envisioned.

Faisal, originally from Lombok, moved on to Bali to find a living. He knew that there was always something he was called to do and is good at. A small workshop in South Bali taught him the art of furniture making. Now, he is grateful to be making a living out of it, and focuses on his work knowing that with every piece he makes, someone benefits from it.

Ridwan has two passions: handcrafted furniture and special pots for plants. He continues to happily hone his skills in these two endeavors and is extremely motivated in developing them even further into the future.

Pak Juned is an experienced artisan who has worked with rattan for most of his life. He loves seeing how the ‘skeleton’ of the furniture can beautifully bend usable furniture anyone can enjoy and take comfort in. Although Pak Juned’s wife has already passed, he takes solace in music whenever he is able to as this is what he enjoys the most, next to shaping artistic rattan furniture.

Begi has been exclusively creating rattan furniture for a long time now, and is also very passionate at traditional painting: a combination of two ancient talents he believes should be greatly preserved. Currently, he lives in Bali with his lovely wife and three children. He hopes that one day he too can pass on his amazing skills to at least one of his kids.

Yatno and his wife are from Sragen, Jawa Tengah – a place that’s been reknowned for handcrafting. As someone who specializes and authentically creates rattan furniture by hand, he is proud to be able to share the naturally sourced rattan pieces from his island with people outside his country. He is also passionate about the sport of volley ball, and hopes to improve his skill on both his favorite game and creating artful rattan pieces.

Sur is a local from Jawa Timur – a region where handcrafting has existed for many generations. Sur proudly handcrafts useful small objects and decorations, making sure each detail enhances its beauty and quality. He is also proud to make a living from it. On his free time, he enjoys karaoke with his three kids.

Pak Rozi is from the island of Jawa, but lives in Bali with his wife and two kids. He is an experienced carpenter who works exclusively by hand in an old-fashioned but authentic way. He prefers working with wood that has already served an earlier purpose and deserves a second chance. Pak Rozi doesn’t dream about anything else other than work, and he is amazed to think that people actually use and enjoy his furniture.

A resident of Bali, Septa is currently learning how to handcraft furniture. He is grateful to make a living from a precious form of art that has existed in his country for centuries. Septa hopes to get enough experience one day so that he’ll be able to create complex pieces of his own.

Ulin likes to make authentic furniture by hand. His specialty is woven cane and wood because these are traditional materials. He is grateful to be able to make a living from the craft which he is truly passionate about. A married father of one, Ulin loves to listen to music when he is not busy with handcrafting.

Pak Tut works hand in hand with other artisans and is dedicated to the finishing process of all types of furniture. He enjoys what he does and is committed to improving his work at every step. A proud resident of the beautiful island of Bali, Pak Tut is married and is raising two daughters with his lovely wife.

When Nana is not performing in traditional ceremonies in her beloved Bali, she is happily immersed in the world of handcrafted furniture. She believes that creating furniture by hand is an ancient tradition that needs to be preserved and revealed for the world to see. Nana likes to tailor furniture to what the customer likes, making sure that the sizes and figures are exactly to their specifications.

Elisa founded the brand Jivaloka to empower female artisans and put forth their unique knowledge in weaving and dyeing fabrics using botanical flower extracts. The dyeing and weaving methods employed by these artisans are fully traditional and environmentally conscious, making them align perfectly with what Mojo Boutique is all about.