The sound of a sewing machine breaks the morning silence in a modest rented house in Banda Aceh City, Aceh Province. The relentless rhythm of the needle moving up and down signals the start of production activities. On the worktable, neatly arranged pieces of used jeans fabric await their turn to be sewn. Occasionally, Bunay Ilhamullah (23), the artisan, stops the machine, inspects the stitching, then reattaches piece by piece until gradually forming a new product.
According to Bunay, each piece of old jeans is not worthless waste. Through meticulous processes, patience, and high creativity, materials that often end up in landfills become valuable and useful items such as bags, clothing, wallets, keychains, and even shoes.
The used denim fabric is spread out in the living room of his rented house, then he draws lines using yellow tailor's chalk. A curved ruler, tape measure, and scissors are tools never far from his reach. Each pattern is measured carefully to maximize the use of all fabric pieces without leaving much new waste.
Bunay Ilhamullah, an artisan, sorts used denim fabric waste to be processed into various products at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Bunay Ilhamullah, an artisan, cuts lining fabric patterns that will be combined with denim waste for fashion product manufacturing at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Bunay's affection for denim materials is the main reason for choosing old jeans as raw materials. Behind its sturdy appearance and popularity among various groups, denim is a type of textile that requires substantial resources during production. From water usage, energy, to chemicals involved in dyeing, all stages have a significant environmental footprint. This awareness drives Bunay to establish a fashion business based on fabric art that focuses on transforming waste jeans into products with new functions, values, and stories.
The business was initiated in August 2024 in Banda Aceh. With funding from the Internal Entrepreneurship Development Program (PIKU) of Syiah Kuala University Banda Aceh amounting to eight million rupiah disbursed in stages, Bunay purchased a sewing machine, sewing equipment, supporting materials, and collected used jeans obtained from friends, customers, and the community willing to donate old clothes.
The journey of building this business has not always been smooth. Although his father is a tailor, he admits never having received formal sewing education. His knowledge was self-taught through various tutorial videos on social media, combined with experience observing his father work since childhood. He repeatedly tried making patterns, dismantled poorly made stitches, and restarted the process from the beginning before finally producing marketable products.
Used denim fabric waste serves as raw material for making various fashion and craft products at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Artisan Bunay Ilhamullah (23) sews denim fabric waste into fashion products at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
The entire production process is still done individually from his rented house. In a month, he is capable of producing approximately 100 products consisting of bags, clothing, wallets, keychains, and shoes. These products are marketed at prices ranging from IDR 25,000 to IDR 500,000, depending on complexity and materials used.
Marketing is conducted through various social media platforms while also consigning products to several fashion stores in Banda Aceh, Lhokseumawe, and South Aceh. Most orders come through social media, which simultaneously serves as a means to introduce the concept of sustainable fashion to the public.
Besides opening business opportunities for MSME actors, the utilization of textile waste into new products aligns with government efforts to promote circular economy implementation in Indonesia. Through various MSME development programs, entrepreneurship training, facilitation of local product promotion, and expanded market access, the government encourages the emergence of creative businesses that can increase waste value while reducing environmental burden.
Artisan Bunay Ilhamullah (23) sews denim fabric waste into fashion products at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Artisan Bunay Ilhamullah (23) sews denim fabric waste into fashion products at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Amid the continuous growth of the fashion industry, the issue of textile waste remains a distinct challenge. According to data from the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas), Indonesia generates approximately 2.3 million tons of textile waste per year.
Most of this waste is not yet optimally managed, posing a potential environmental pollution risk. Through the Indonesian Circular Economy Roadmap, the government prioritizes the textile sector to improve raw material efficiency, extend product lifespan, and encourage the reuse of waste into economically valuable products. These efforts are expected to reduce waste generation while strengthening the competitiveness of industries and MSMEs implementing sustainable fashion concepts.
Through approaches such as upcycling, patchwork techniques, distressing, and various fabric art methods, artisans transform waste jeans into unique and valuable products. Each creation is handmade, respecting the original character of the material, and celebrating imperfection as part of its beauty.
The artisan arranges several products made from denim fabric waste at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh.
A model displays keychains and lighters made from denim waste in Banda Aceh, Aceh.
This practice is one example of circular economy implementation at the business actor level. Material previously considered waste gains new functions without undergoing raw material production processes from scratch. Besides reducing textile waste accumulation, this approach also opens new business opportunities, increases product added value, and fosters the growth of creative economies based on sustainability.
For Bunay, sustainability is not just about creating fashion products but also changing public perceptions of waste. Old jeans fabric actually still holds potential for reuse.
Through his works, he hopes more people realize that environmental awareness can start from simple actions, namely giving a second chance to materials once considered useless, as a solution to textile waste problems. This simple effort illustrates that the circular economy can begin at a small business scale when creativity transforms items deemed obsolete into products with economic value and environmental benefits.
Artisan Bunay Ilhamullah shows shoes made from denim fabric waste at the Bumoe production house, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
A customer tries on shoes made from used denim fabric at a fashion store in Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Photo and Text: Akramul Muslim
A prospective buyer shows fashion products made from denim waste on an e-commerce platform in Banda Aceh, Aceh.
A prospective buyer browses fashion products made from denim waste on an e-commerce platform in Banda Aceh, Aceh.
A model demonstrates bags, shoes, and t-shirts made from denim waste in front of Rumoh Aceh, Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Editor: Yusran Uccang
The caption is automatically translated by application. Click here for the Bahasa Indonesia version.
