For Purwanto, the unique smell of rattan and the sound of hands weaving long wooden vines were the background of his childhood. Growing up in a village of craftsmen, he saw firsthand how the hard work of his parents who started their rattan business in 1980 supported their family. The rattan products which usually produced at that time, such as furniture (tables, chairs) and several household equipments especially plaited products. From these results, Purwanto could complete high school education.

However, times changed. By the year 2000, his father began to feel overwhelmed. Large furniture industries had been permitted to establish businesses at those village, and it will impacted on the strict competitive business. At this critical moment, believing that Purwanto was old enough and ready to take over, his father handed the entire business management to him.

Purwanto’s journey was not easy. He experienced the harsh reality of business when a buyer took his products but never paid a single cent. Yet, he refused to give up. His hard work finally paid off in 2006, when a unique order came from the Netherlands: a custom coffin made from woven rattan and pandanus leaves. This new product became a major turning point. In running his business, Purwanto always made sure to treat his workers with respect. Today, he is supported by 20 local workers, including 4 hardworking women. While Purwanto helps with production and works as a supervisor, he wisely chooses not to have too many people working directly at his house to stay organized. Instead, his team can do the weaving from their own house. This gives them the freedom to manage their own time while actually increasing the total number of products they can make.

The great quality and honesty of Purwanto’s work caught the attention of APIKRI in 2008. Impressed by his natural coffins, APIKRI colaborated with Purwanto to make a sample coffins based on a new design from APIKRI’s team. This beautiful product successfully grabbed the interest of a coffins buyer from the United Kingdom. A big opportunity followed: APIKRI and Purwanto were trusted to ship one full container of natural coffins to the UK every single month.

Today, new challenges have arrived. Rattan are becoming very rare and can now only be found outside Java island. This shortage, along with unfair pricing by distributors, has made the price of raw rattan go up very fast. Despite this problem, Purwanto has never reduced the quality of his coffins. He believes that keeping the high quality on his products is the best way to earn and keep the trust of his buyers. To make sure these coffins are made perfectly, Purwanto trusts the main weaving process to 4 of his most skilled workers. Because the business is growing so fast, he recently had to move his production to a larger location.

Through his partnership with APIKRI, Purwanto has not only earned financial benefit and learned about international marketing, but he has also deeply embraced the ideas of Fair Trade. For Purwanto, business is no longer just about making a profit; it is about protecting nature, sustainable, being fair, and making sure the workers who help him have a good life. In today's unpredictable economy, Purwanto’s hope is simple but very meaningful: continuity. He hopes this partnership will keep bringing a steady flow of orders, creating a secure and brighter future for the rattan artisan in the village he loves so much.