From Tenunin to RISE Empowering Weavers for a Sustainable ASEAN Future

When Tenunin was first launched, it started with a simple but powerful mission: to uplift the lives of women weavers in East Nusa Tenggara by preserving Indonesia’s traditional handwoven textile heritage. What began as a grassroots empowerment initiative under Insan Bumi Mandiri (IBM) has since grown into a recognized social enterprise, empowering over 700 women across five regions, increasing their productivity and income by 50%, and bringing Indonesian weaving to the global stage—including features at the Dubai Expo and MotoGP Mandalika.

Through Tenunin, we didn’t just create beautiful products—we helped revive dying traditions by reintroducing an environmentally friendlier dyeing technique, modernising marketing channels, and building sustainable livelihoods. We provided training in natural dyes, financial literacy, product innovation, and market access. Tenunin became more than a brand. It became a movement.

Introducing RISE: Scaling the Vision

Now, we’re ready to scale this impact through RISE: Rural Innovation for Sustainable Empowerment, a 36-month initiative aiming to support 100 women-led weaving groups in 10 Indonesian provinces, with plans to expand to ASEAN countries where weaving is also part of the cultural heritage.

RISE sets bold goals:

• Empower 2,000+ women weavers with modern skills and sustainable practices
  
• Establish 100 natural dye cultivation plots
  
• Develop 10 export-ready weaving entrepreneurs
  
• Launch a national textile gallery and an e-commerce platform
  
• Increase participants’ average income by at least 40%
  

With early discussions already underway with local partners in the Philippines, RISE aims to become a blueprint for preserving heritage-based livelihoods across ASEAN.

A Regional Approach to Heritage and Innovation

Weaving is not unique only to Indonesia—it is a shared cultural asset across Southeast Asia. From the ikat of Indonesia to inabel in the Philippines, weaving traditions face similar threats: aging artisans, disinterest from younger generations, and unsustainable practices. Through RISE, we aim to build a cross-border network of empowered weavers, innovating responsibly while celebrating our shared culture.

RISE Roadmap at a Glance

RISE is a 36-month initiative designed to scale Tenunin’s success into a national and regional movement. The program will unfold in six strategic phases:

• Months 1–3: Baseline survey, local partner confirmation, and group selection
• Months 4–12: Training on natural dyes, product quality, financial literacy, and establishment of 100 natural dye cultivation plots
• Months 13–18: Business incubation for 10 exemplary weaving entrepreneurs
• Months 19–24: Market access through e-commerce platform launch, national showcasing, and a permanent textile gallery 
• Months 25–30: ASEAN expansion pilot
• Months 31–36: Consolidation, impact evaluation

This phased approach ensures both grassroots empowerment and long-term sustainability, with clear milestones at every stage.

As we take this leap from a single program to a regional movement, we invite partners, cultural institutions, buyers, and development agencies to join us in reweaving the future of Southeast Asia—one thread, one community at a time.