Plastic Woven Bags with Style? Discover AjengWK’s Decoupage Craft
HALO JEMBER - AjengWK Craft from Jember creates stylish plastic woven bags made from special materials that are strong and lightweight, with unique decoupage craft decoration on each bag. These decoupage bags feature vibrant patterns and colors, perfect for anyone wanting a handmade, fashionable accessory that stands out.
“Recommended! The products are good and attractive, and can be customized as desired. The price is also affordable. Do not doubt the quality anymore,” said Shinta Kirana, one of the satisfied and loyal customers from AjengWK Craft.
Ajeng , a creative woman from Jember who used to study English, started AjengWK Craft as a side project in June 2021. It's more than just a brand; it's a story of hard work, love, and purpose. What began as a side project has turned into a business that helps local women and showcases the beauty of handmade goods.
Ajeng wasn't even interested in woven bags at first. She worked at a zakat institution and tried out decoupage craft, which is a way to decorate things by gluing and sealing layers of printed napkins to a surface. She worked with partners in Jember, Tegal Besar, and Banyuwangi. In her free time, she did decoupage work and took on small projects.
Everything changed in early 2022 when she decided to start making her own bags. She had never woven before, but when she visited a partner in Banyuwangi, they encouraged her to start. Going back to Jember, she asked her husband for IDR 300,000 to buy the things she needed and give it a try. Her love grew quickly. Soon after, she borrowed an extra 3 million IDR to use as start-up money.
Her hard work paid off in two months. Ajeng got a big order for 1,000 plastic woven bags. She couldn't finish the job by herself since her team only had six people. So, she set up training classes for housewives in her neighborhood, which later grew to include women from other areas.
She paid IDR 6,000 per bag, which was a lot more than the going rate of IDR 1,000 to 1,500 on the market. This was to make sure that her workers were paid fairly for their time and effort.
The decoupage bag is AjengWK Craft's most famous item. It's a stylish mix of function and art. The first step is to carefully cut a decorative napkin to fit a pattern and glue it onto the bag's surface. Finally, a clear varnish is applied to protect the art and make it shine.
Flowers and natural elements are common themes, and some patterns can be changed based on what the customer wants. Ajeng even makes her own patterns and gets ideas from sites like Pinterest.
AjengWK Craft makes more than just paper bags. They also make plastic woven wallets, which are called “dompet jali.”
AjengWK Craft – Product Price List
For the product range, prices vary depending on size and design. The colorful plastic woven jali bags are available in several sizes, starting from XS (19x10x22 cm) at around Rp 50,000, up to XL (32x17x36 cm) priced at Rp 90,000.
The decoupage woven bags, which come in floral, cartoon, or batik designs, range from the mini size (14x10x17 cm) at Rp 22,000 to jumbo (30x20x33 cm) at Rp 42,000.
There are also medium and large options in various shapes, with price points in between, such as Rp 29,000 for Medium, Rp 32,000 for Medium Normal, and Rp 37,000 for the Large or Box Shape versions. Some variants also feature button details, priced at Rp 33,000.
As with traditional batik, the limited-edition items are usually made in small batches and can be changed to fit your needs. Each one is unique.
AjengWK Craft doesn't have a physical store, but some of their products can be found in some nearby shops. The company collaborates with restaurants and gift shops in Jember to create decorative hampers, with most orders being made to order.
AjengWK Craft now has customers in Jakarta, Surabaya, Banyuwangi, Cianjur, and even parts of Kalimantan. This is because of strong word-of-mouth marketing and a growing presence on Instagram.
Customer Review
“Great... Good quality at affordable prices. Success for AjengWK Craft.” – Silviana Septi
AjengWK Craft is more than just a craft store; it's a place where people can come together to help each other. By teaching others and giving stay-at-home moms jobs, Ajeng shows that a small idea can make a big difference if it is thought out and carried out with care.
“I desire not only selling but also helping housewives so they may have income and skills as well,” she said.
So next time you're looking for a unique plastic woven bag, think beyond the ordinary. Choose one that tells a story of creativity, of community, and of a woman who dared to weave her own path.
Author: Sufi Binti Khofifah
