Thinking of viable and desirable business idea? Make a crowd-sourcing platform! You can see from the example below that platform is dominating current business landscape and I will explain later why the amount of platform skyrockets these past years.

MARKET

Market Platforms (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

OLX was previously Tokobagus, a marketplace for second-hand goods with negotiable price.
Tokopedia is a marketplace which accommodates wide range of first-hand sellers. Usually the sellers are not individual but shops.
Qlapa is a marketplace which was made exclusively for handcrafted goods just like Etsy. The sellers are curated to ensure the quality

LEARNING

Learning Platforms (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

IndonesiaX is the first massive open online course (MOOC) platform which cooperates with some universities (Bandung Institute of Technology, University of Indonesia), organizations (Rumah Perubahan), and companies (NetTV, Indonesia Stock Exchange). The course is free and we can obtain certificate if we pass the test.
Lingkaran is an alternative learning platform for students to learn particular skills such as art, craft, branding, entrepreneurship, and public speaking. The class execution is offline in a cafe or co-working space at the weekends.
RuangGuru is a platform to connect private tutor and student. Mostly the tutors teach elementary and high school subjects such as mathematics, physics, and biology. Students can choose tutors based on the reputation and analyses their learning process with integrated application.

SOCIAL

Social Platforms (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

Change.Org deals with crucial issue such as politic or environment. Users can create, sign, and share petition which will be sent to stakeholder or related party when it reach the required signatures.
IndoRelawan is a platform for volunteer-seekers (company or organization) and volunteers. From education, health, or technology there is always one that fits our concern.
KitaBisa is a donation platform who has been helping numerous cases. When a mosque in Tolikara, Papua was burned by irresponsible party, the donation reached more than IDR 300 million just after a week.

CONTENT / MEDIA

Content Platforms (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

Hipwee is a website for young urban people to share their interest and thought. Some of the articles are funny while some of them are deep and full of advice. It distinctive feature is the articles almost always structured in list.
Kaskus is the first and biggest Indonesian forum. It was established in 2001 and act as a pioneer for platform business model. Besides content it also has seller forum.
Kompasiana is a forum to share opinion for recent issue. It is managed by Kompas thus Kompasiana bloggers are often invited in their TV program and live event.

JOB

Job Platforms (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

Jobstreet facilitates people to search and apply jobs. It has more than 18000 job opportunities which can be applied straight from the website.
Kreavi is a platform for creative enthusiast. At first it acted as a showcase platform but now it facilitates companies to hire freelance designer and holds Kreavi Challenges regularly.
Qerja alters the paradigm that wage is taboo to discuss and complete the platform with rate system and work ethic information. It helps everyone to find a perfect job.

TRAVEL

Travel Platform (Source: personal data, screenshots from each of the websites)

AirBNB invites home owners to rent their unused bedroom or house for travellers around the world so they can get close with the culture. There is still no Indonesian version of AirBNB but we can find some hosts from Indonesia.
Gojek is an innovative motorcycle taxi platform in Indonesia. Order can be made through application but meanwhile only available in big cities.
Traveloka connects us with plenty hotels and airlines so we can compare the most suitable price and time in a single click.


Already have some ideas? Now let's discuss the business model. Usually we choose between two conventional business models, B2B (business to business) or B2C (business to consumer). The example for B2B is advertising company and for B2C is restaurant. Even so in case like printing company, it may serve both individual and wholesale but still in a linear flow. Those business models are called 'pipes' (Choudary, 2013).

Department store is one of the precursors of current platform model. It gathers numerous clothing companies' products in a single store and sells all of them at once to consumer. The store itself does not manufacture any clothing. It merely does marketing and selling. With the development of Web 2.0 (user generated content website) platform business model surges with incredibly diverse fields as I mentioned above. People demand to be networked and it is platform's role to provide infrastructure. Similar with the department store case, for example Tokopedia does not have any company's authentic product. All of the products are from registered sellers.

Different Types of Business Model (Source: personal illustration)

The characteristic of platform can be seen with the existence of prosumer. The term prosumer was coined by a futurist, Alvin Toffler, in 1984. Prosumer blurs the distinction between consumer and producer because both of them are actively engaged in a platform. For instance in Qerja, a man who reviews a company may searches for another job opportunity. Also he can seek for some tips to apply.

You do not have to be skilful on the field or possess physical capital as producer does. Lingkaran founders and team members did not teach any class until recently. Their main task is to find passionate mentors. In most cases the mentors do not want to be bothered with managerial stuff such as participant registration or reserve a place so it is advantageous for both. While in Traveloka, they do not spend money to buy vehicles or build hotels, but they simplify the reservation process. Platform is important to connect the dots.

The biggest challenge is to balance between consumers' and producers' satisfaction. People read Kompasiana because it is update and offers hundreds articles each days which are crafted by the platform's members. Gojek is preferred because it incorporates myriad drivers. If there is no producer, consumer will leave and vice versa.  A research proves that the most in demand chat application is not one with the most high-tech feature but one who is used by the vast majority of user's friends (Nussbaum, 2015). Both of them must exchange value.

Another challenge is system and interface design. That is why we see so many job advertisements for UI and UX designers. The platform must be easy to access and friendly with different devices. For instance Kaskus needs moderator who monitors all of the posts and make sure they are in accordance with the policy. Besides they assure that the site is interactive and lively with comment, rate, reward, and share mechanism. When users were engaged with the platform, they initiated Kaskuser Gathering to strengthen the community. In the other hand a platform like KitaBisa requires transparency. It provides joint bank account, refund policy, and informs regular update to donors'.

So are you willing to face those challenges? Looking at the growth, I assure that your efforts will be worth it. I hope this post will encourage you to start one. If you are running a platform business, you can post the link in the comment box below.

REFERENCES
Choudary, Sangeet Paul. (2013). Why Business Model Fail: Pipes vs. Platforms. Retrieved in December 2015 from http://wired.com.
Nussbaum, Bruce. (2013). Creative Intelligence. New York: HarperBusiness.
Toffler, Alvin. (1984). The Third Wave. New York: Bantam Books.

Dalam satu dekade terakhir saya melihat perubahan yang sangat pesat dalam bidang sosial budaya di seluruh dunia, termasuk di Indonesia. Perubahan ini turut didukung oleh perkembangan internet, media sosial, smartphone, dan pola komunikasi yang semakin horizontal. Kini dunia seakan tak berjarak dan kesempatan pun tak terbatas. Implikasinya adalah beberapa fenomena baru yang mungkin tidak pernah terbayangkan sebelumnya.

1. BOOM SENI RUPA

I Nyoman Masriadi (Sumber: www.harianjogja.com)

Periode pertengahan 2000an ditandai dengan boom seni rupa Asia. Faktor permintaan terhadap karya seniman Asia, termasuk Indonesia, sedang tinggi-tingginya sehingga harga karya pun melambung. Tidak tanggung-tanggung, lukisan karya I Nyoman Masriadi yang berjudul The Man from Bantul (The Final Round) terjual dengan nilai sekitar 10 miliar Rupiah di balai lelang Sotheby’s Hong Kong pada tahun 2008. Pada masa boom ini jumlah seniman muda meningkat, galeri tumbuh di kota-kota besar, kurator sibuk menginisiasi berbagai pameran, kolektor berebut untuk berinvestasi, sampai majalah yang mengulas seni rupa pun bermunculan. Sayangnya pada tahun 2010 pasar seni rupa mulai surut kembali.

2. PROGRAM EKONOMI KREATIF PEMERINTAH

Triawan Munaf, Kepala Bekraf (Sumber: www.tribunnews.com)

Wacana ekonomi kreatif di Indonesia mulai didengungkan dalam pidato (mantan) Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono lewat pidato pembukaan INACRAFT 2005. Sebagai tindak lanjut dikeluarkan Inpres No. 6 Th. 2009 tentang pengembangan ekonomi kreatif yang diikuti Perpres No. 92 Th. 2011 tentang pembentukan Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif. Kemenparekraf telah memetakan ekonomi kreatif di Indonesia menjadi 15 subsektor. Selanjutnya melalui Perpres No. 6 Tahun 2015 dibentuk Badan Ekonomi Kreatif untuk mengakomodasi sistem kerja lintas kementerian. Dengan adanya perhatian pemerintah diharapkan bidang-bidang kreatif di Indonesia bisa lebih maju dan mampu bersaing secara global.

3. KUANTITAS JURUSAN SENI RUPA DAN DESAIN

Natamorta, Pameran Karya Mahasiswa DKV ITB (Sumber: www.laughonthefloor.com)

Dahulu masih banyak orang yang menganggap sebelah mata jurusan seni rupa dan desain, namun saat ini paradigma tersebut mulai ditinggalkan. Hal ini terlihat dari pertumbuhan jurusan-jurusan terkait yang semakin pesat dalam 5 tahun terakhir. Jurusan Desain Komunikasi Visual atau Desain Grafis kini sudah tersebar di hampir 100 universitas (Rustan, 2015) sedangkan jurusan Desain Produk tersebar di 15 universitas (Wiradarmo, 2014). Meskipun belum ada data mengenai jurusan desain interior, tentu peningkatannya tidak kalah pesat. Belum lagi apabila ditambah jurusan-jurusan turunannya seperti furniture design, fashion design, dan animasi.

4. ENTREPRENEUR DAN LOCAL BRAND

Finalis Wirausaha Muda Mandiri (Sumber: www.csr.bankmandiri.co.id)

Mulai dari lomba business plan, seminar, sampai buku semuanya mendukung anak muda untuk menjadi entrepreneur. Pemerintah dan korporasi pun mengintensifkan program dana pendukung wirausaha agar lebih banyak masyarakat bisa mandiri dan membuka lapangan pekerjaan. Untungnya hal ini juga dibarengi dengan kesadaran masyarakat untuk memilih local brand. Secara tidak langsung kesadaran ini turut dibangun oleh maraknya pop up market dan concept store yang mempertemukan karya wirausaha lokal dengan konsumen. Intinya wirausahawan tidak perlu khawatir kesulitan menemukan channel penjualan.

5. STARTUP APLIKASI DAN WEBSITE

Event Jakarta Startup Weekend (Sumber: www.startupbisnis.com)

Salah satu bidang usaha yang paling digemari adalah startup digital. Berkat sistem open source di Android dan iOS, muncul developer yang mendirikan startup berbasis aplikasi. Karena platform yang digunakan adalah internet, keuntungan startup berbasis aplikasi adalah konten dapat diunduh oleh pengguna smartphone di berbagai negara. Selain aplikasi developer juga banyak mengembangkan startup berbasis website karena semakin harinya kaum netizen (orang yang menggunakan sebagaian besar waktunya untuk mengakses internet) di Indonesia terus bertambah.

6. SELEBGRAM DAN SELEBTWIT

Selebgram & Blogger Evita Nuh (Sumber: www.kompasiana.com)

Setelah tren blogger mulai menurun, masyarakat beralih ke media sosial yang lebih simpel seperti Twitter (hanya 160 karakter) dan Instagram (hanya foto). Siapa sangka media ini justru menawarkan cara baru untuk memperoleh penghasilan sebagai selebgram dan selebtwit (buzzer / endorser). Harga untuk setiap post variatif dan biasanya tergantung dari jumlah followers. Korporasi atau brand menganggap dengan bekerjasama dengan buzzer, konten iklan lebih mudah sampai kepada target konsumen karena dekat dengan keseharian mereka (soft selling).

7. VIDEO VIRAL

Youtuber Sacha Stevenson (Sumber: www.youtube.com/user/sasaseno)

Belakangan ini muncul istilah vlogger atau video blogger dimana pengguna mengunggah video-video di channel Youtube sesuai karakter dan tema channel masing-masing. Dari kebanyakan vlogger Indonesia di Youtube, tema komedi masih tetap yang paling digemari. Beberapa video bahkan menjadi viral tidak hanya di kalangan netizen, tapi sampai ditayangkan di televisi swasta. Penghasilan yang diperoleh seorang Youtuber atau vlogger berasal dari Youtube Ads maupun kerjasama dengan beberapa brand untuk berpromosi.

8. KAMPANYE KREATIF

Poster Jokowi Blusukan Ala Komik Tintin (Sumber: www.iampost.co)

Meskipun isu-isu negatif selama kampanye belum sepenuhnya hilang, sangat terlihat perubahan konten pada pemilihan presiden 2 periode terakhir. Kampanye dilakukan dengan berkarya seperti membuat buku, website, musik, konser, game, dan karya-karya grafis lainnya. Janji-janji kampanye dikemas dengan halus dan tidak monoton. Karya kesukaan saya adalah seri Jokowi blusukan oleh Hari Prast dan Yoga Adhitrisna.

9. GRAFIS DAN LAYOUT BUKU

Buku #88 Love Life karya Diana Rikasari dan ilustrator Dinda Puspitasari (Sumber: www.mooeyandfriends.blogspot.com)

Sebelumnya membaca identik dengan buku tebal penuh tulisan kecil-kecil. Bagi yang tidak suka membaca, bisa dipastikan akan jarang sekali ke toko buku. Tapi sekarang penulis maupun penerbit lebih mempertimbangkan grafis dan layout buku secara keseluruhan, bukan sekedar halaman sampul. Coba saja lihat buku-buku best seller saat ini. Font yang digunakan cenderung lebih besar, penuh ilustrasi, dan berwarna. Konten tidak perlu terlalu padat, buktinya ada buku-buku yang khusus memuat kumpulan quote atau tweet.

10. SEMANGAT BERBAGI

Ribuan Relawan Peringatan 60 Tahun KAA di Bandung (Sumber: www.infopublik.id)

Saat ini sebagian anak muda di Indonesia pasti pernah menjadi relawan. Walaupun tidak dibayar, mereka memiliki semangat untuk berkontribusi di bidang yang mereka anggap penting. Contohnya adalah relawan program Indonesia Mengajar dan relawan acara peringatan 60 tahun KAA yang pendaftarnya sangat membludak. Selain relawan, workshop skill-sharing dan co-working space semakin mudah ditemukan.


Dari seluruh fenomena tersebut dapat ditarik benang merah bahwa seluruhnya berbasis kreativitas. Kreativitas dapat diartikan sebagai kemampuan untuk membuat sesuatu yang baru (make something from nothing). Tentu saja budaya kreatif turut mempengaruhi era perekonomian dunia yang sering disebut dengan era ekonomi kreatif.

Di abad ke-21 ini, ekonomi kreatif adalah sektor yang berkembang dan banyak meningkatkan perekonomian suatu negara. Ekonomi kreatif dapat bertahan walaupun krisis sedang berlangsung dimana-mana. Dalam sebuah penelitian yang dilakukan John Howkins (2001) ditemukan bahwa ekspor karya hak cipta Amerika Serikat mempunyai nilai penjualan yang jauh melampaui ekspor sektor lainnya seperti otomotif, pertanian, dan pesawat.

Era ekonomi kreatif tidak muncul tiba-tiba. Sebelumnya ada beberapa era dalam peradaban manusia yang telah dilewati sebagian masyarakat di seluruh dunia. Ketika satu era sudah tidak mendukung lagi, lahir era baru sebagai alternatif. Era ini dapat dilihat dari kegiatan ekonomi yang dilakukan manusianya. Menurut Alvin Toffler (1984) dalam buku The Third Wave, beberapa era tersebut adalah sebagai berikut.

Era Ekonomi Dunia (Sumber: ilustrasi pribadi)

Apabila ditinjau dari sisi historis, sesungguhnya nenek moyang bangsa Indonesia adalah orang-orang kreatif. Ini dapat dibuktikan melalui berbagai peninggalan dan artefak yang masih dapat ditemukan sampai saat ini. Misalnya saja batik, tenun, alat musik daerah, candi, dan rumah adat. Selain memiliki gen kreatif, Indonesia juga potensial karena memiliki sumber daya manusia yang berlimpah. Ketika seluruhnya dapat memanfaatkan ide tentu saja Indonesia akan menjadi bangsa yang mandiri dan menguatkan citra Indonesia sebagai bangsa kreatif.

Saat ini tulang punggung perekonomian negara-negara maju ada pada masyarakat kreatif. Oleh karena itu masyarakat Indonesia pun harus dapat beradaptasi. Dengan ini perubahan zaman dan kondisi sosial budaya dapat dimaknai secara positif.

REFERENSI.
Dewi, Cokorda Istri. (2014). Ekonomi Kreatif: Kekuatan Baru Menuju 2025. Jakarta: Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif.
Howkins, John. (2001). The Creative Economy: How People Make Money from Ideas. New York: Penguin Books.
Hujatnikajennong, Agung. (2015). Kurasi dan Kuasa; Kekuratoran dalam Medan Seni Rupa Kontemporer Indonesia. Tangerang Selatan: Marjin Kiri.
Rustan, Surianto. (2015). Bisnis Desain. Jakarta: Batavia Imaji.
Toffler, Alvin. (1984). The Third Wave. New York: Bantam Books.
Wiradarmo, Aulia Ardista. (2014). Analisis Profil Alumni Desain Produk dalam Relasinya dengan Pendidikan dan Keprofesian Desain Produk di Indonesia. Bandung: Desain Produk ITB.

This essay is based on my personal observation as an entrepreneur and consumer. I also discussed this matter with my fellow entrepreneurs and communities. I am not sullying specific party, but this is the fact that is happening at this time.

Historically Pasar Seni ITB can be considered as the first curated market in Indonesia. The founders, AD Pirous and But Muchtar were inspired by New York Art Fair and established Pasar Seni ITB in 1972. In 1980s the students and alumni of Faculty of Art and Design ITB started to open booths which sold art, craft, and design goods. The response was satisfying so it expanded to accommodate wider range of sellers. Although Pasar Seni ITB is the pioneer, curated market trend was popularized by Anton Wirjono, Cynthia Wirjono, and Chriss Kerrigan who initiated Brightspot Market in 2009 as “the curated market of all things cool.” The first event gained a tremendous success and followed by the opening of The Goods Dept store in 2010. Shortly after that curated market trend grows in Indonesia, especially in big cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya.

Brightspot Market (Source: www.agatawijaya.blogspot.com)

If you have not joined or visited any curated market yet, I will try to describe it. Firstly brands or companies have to send their product catalogue to the curator team. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines curator as one who has the care and superintendence of something; especially one in charge of a museum, zoo, or other place of exhibit. After that selected brands will have a chance to exhibit and sell their products in a small booth-usually between 1x3 and 3x3 size-and pay the price. Visual merchandising and decoration are also essential for this kind of event since it is not only about the products, but also branding. Usually it is held on weekend at shopping mall to attract more buyers.

There is also other type of community based curated market which appeals more niche market, for example: Crafty Days Tobucil, Pasar Indoestri, and Kopi Keliling Arts & Crafts Festival. It is simpler; the committees merely provide tables and chairs for selected brands. The focus is on the products and the process behind it, not decorations and other additional stuffs. This system is often applied in other countries because it is more appropriate with their mission to empower local makers.

Crafty Days Tobucil (Source: www.politewardrobe.wordpress.com)

Nowadays curated market transforms into pop up market. Some pop up markets put aside former mission and exploit this trend primarily to generate money. When something becomes main stream, it could not be denied that the quality will eventually decrease. These pop up markets do not even have curator team, the most important thing is the brands are willing to pay the price. The cheapest price for the smallest booth varies from IDR 4 to 7 million. The price keeps getting higher every year, therefore it implies stronger economic motive.

To my way of thinking the quality decreases because of the content. No curator means any ‘local brands’ are eligible to participate. Some of them are manufacturer scale brands and there is no novelty in their products. You can see several booths with identical products like canvas tote bag, jogger pants, or Dr. Martens shoes lookalike. Moreover without curator we could not be aware if it is genuine local brands or local entrepreneurs who act as re-sellers for imported products. There are some cases when the brands’ owners simply design new logo and market the products, but they are not involved in the production process.

The implication is competitiveness is not valued by quality and creativity, but it comes back to price. Unfortunately if we consider price as decisive factor there is no urgency to buy local brands. Cheap manufactured made-in-China products will always be far more appealing. It is a pity that when people started to be aware of the importance of buying local brands, they got distracted again.

Besides cheap prices, unreasonable discount is another threat for emerging brands. To illustrate there are 2 discount mechanisms. First is dead stock discount; it is for last season products or less desirable returned products from stores so there will be no leftover. Second is promotional discount; the discount price is taken from marketing and promotional budget. At least the price still covers production price (as a product design alumnus I learned about production price a lot). In this case there are some brands that offer extremely cheap price. Yes, it is their right, but it is not fair since we have to maintain stable price. What upset me the most is a friend told me that some booths put paper discount tags with manual writings on it hence there is no difference between this and traditional market’s booths.

Despite this fact, some brands are bold enough to participate in pop up markets particularly for brand awareness purpose. Revenue is not their prime concern as long as they can interact with people and make a statement that they are worth to be reckoned. Also this event is an opportunity to meet public figure, media, and social media celebrity who can act as endorser.

Between 2010 and 2015, some brands or companies have developed from micro enterprises to small medium enterprises (SME). Usually if company displays reassuring growth speed, it would be acquired by investors and head towards the next phase. It is a pleasant thing and it proves that the pop up market’s mission is accomplished. My suggestion to the founders is to alter their focus from those brands to others who still struggle. Find other auspicious small brands and give them a chance to grow. That is what curated markets do. For me this is the ultimate success benchmark, not just capital turnover.

All in all this post is a proposition to revive the essence of curated or pop up markets and to emphasize that curators’ role is necessary. If you have any experience as an entrepreneurs or consumers do not hesitate to share your perspective on the comment box below.

Beberapa bulan terakhir kebakaran lahan dan kabut asap di Sumatera, Kalimantan, dan Sulawesi terus menjadi berita utama tanpa perbaikan berarti. Banyak korban kehilangan pekerjaan, sakit, bahkan meninggal dunia. Belum lagi dampaknya pada hewan-hewan liar dan lingkungan serta mempercepat pemanasan global. Tepat rasanya apabila JakartaGlobe menganggap bencana ini adalah kejahatan lingkungan terbesar di abad ke-21.

Penyebab kebakaran lahan dan kabut asap (Sumber: data pribadi)

Tapi sejujurnya bagi saya bukan ketidakmampuan pemerintah untuk mengatasi masalah dengan cepat, ketidaketisan korporasi, atau lemahnya integritas lembaga penegakan hukum di Indonesia yang membuat saya sangat kecewa. Semua faktor tersebut adalah dampak, sedangkan jika kita harus mencari penyebab kabut asap akan sangat rumit, bahkan perlu juga mengkaji sisi historis dimana kebijakan-kebijakan Presiden Soeharto patut disangsikan. Kabut asap tahun ini adalah titik puncak dari akumulasi kelalaian selama bertahun-tahun sebelumnya.

Maka yang membuat saya marah adalah, disini saya duduk dan mengetik dengan nyaman tanpa bisa melakukan sesuatu yang signifikan. Tentu saja saya sudah melakukan tindakan-tindakan minor untuk membantu, tapi apakah itu cukup? Karena itu saya memutuskan untuk mengkampanyekan sekaligus mengedukasi masyarakat tentang pentingnya mengkurasi isi keranjang belanjaan. Hal yang sepertinya kecil, tapi bisa menjadi signifikan apabila dilakukan sebagian besar penduduk Indonesia. Misalnya tanpa disadari, penyebab kabut asap ada di dekat kita dan digunakan setiap hari, yaitu minyak kelapa sawit. Bagaimana mungkin kita bisa menyalahkan korporasi atau pemerintah? Kita adalah konsumen setianya, mungkin juga Anda membaca ini sambil makan sepotong gorengan.

Salah satu cara untuk memilih produk ramah lingkungan, sehat, dan berkelanjutan (sustainable) adalah dengan memperhatikan sertifikasi. Artinya produk tersebut sudah diaudit dan memenuhi standar tertentu baik dari bahan baku, kemasan, maupun manajemen perusahaan secara keseluruhan. Di luar negeri sertifikasi sudah sangat umum, namun di Indonesia sertifikasi yang sudah cukup umum hanya sertifikasi halal MUI dan standar kesehatan BPOM saja. Sertifikasi dapat dilihat melalui logo di kemasan produk. Beberapa sertifikasi yang ada adalah sebagai berikut.

Beberapa logo sertifikasi yang dapat ditemukan di kemasan produk (Sumber: website masing-masing lembaga sertifikasi)

BPA Free: bebas bisphenol A (untuk kemasan plastik).
CSPO: sertifikasi minyak kelapa sawit berkelanjutan, untuk perusahaan maupun pertanian.
Indonesian Legal Wood: bahan baku lulus uji sistem verifikasi legalitas kayu (SVLK).
Forest Stewardship  Council (FSC): produksi dan konsumsi hasil hutan yang bertanggung jawab.
Fairtrade: standar perdagangan bebas (impor) yang adil.
Rainforest Alliance (RA): bahan baku berasal dari peternakan, lahan pertanian, maupun hutan yang dikelola secara bertanggung jawab.
InSWA Green Label Indonesia (IGL): bahan baku ramah lingkungan.
ISO 14001: sistem manajemen berbasis lingkungan.
ISO 22000: sistem manajemen keamanan pangan.
ISO 9001/9002: sistem manajemen mutu.
OHSAS 18001: standar keselamatan dan kesehatan pekerja.
SNI: uji standar nasional indonesia, penomoran berdasarkan jenis produk.

Untuk menemukan produk-produk bersertifikasi, saya melakukan observasi di sebuah supermarket di daerah Bandung. Apabila produk yang biasa Anda gunakan tidak terdapat dalam tabel di bawah ada 3 kemungkinan, yaitu: (1) produk tidak terdapat di supermarket; (2) produk tidak atau belum mencantumkan sertifikasi pada kemasan; dan (3) produk memang tidak ramah lingkungan. Bukan berarti nama PT yang tercantum disini semua produknya otomatis berkualitas sama. Kenyataannya satu korporasi pasti memiliki beberapa lini produk, bahkan jenis produk sama dengan merek berbeda (misalnya Indomie dan Sarimi sama-sama diproduksi PT Indofood). Biasanya perbedaan disesuaikan dengan target konsumen.

Disini saya tidak ingin mendiskreditkan produk tertentu dan tidak pula berpromosi, saya hanya ingin mengajak konsumen agar lebih cerdas dalam memilih produk. Intinya, perhatikan tulisan pada kemasan. Produk-produk bersertifikasi yang saya temukan dapat dilihat pada tabel berikut.

Daftar produk bersertifikasi (Sumber: data pribadi)

Dari tabel tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa sertifikasi yang paling sering digunakan adalah SNI. Namun SNI merupakan sertifikasi bahan baku dan pengolahan produk. Darimana bahan baku tersebut didapatkan tidak termasuk tolak ukur karena secara konteks termasuk ke dalam sertifikasi ISO (sistem manajemen dan perusahaan) maupun sertifikasi lainnya. Contohnya produk berbahan dasar kayu harus memiliki sertifikasi Indonesian Legal Wood sedangkan produk minyak kelapa sawit harus memiliki sertifikasi sustainable palm oil dari RSPO, namun sayang sekali belum ditemukan. Saya juga mencatat banyak sekali produk yang tidak memiliki sertifikasi SNI.

Maka disini memilih produk ber-SNI bisa berarti memilih produk yang lebih baik, tapi tidak bisa menjamin bahwa produk tersebut sepenuhnya berkelanjutan karena tidak memiliki sertifikasi yang cukup, terutama terkait bahan baku.  Untuk itu saya menyarankan kepada pemerintah untuk meningkatkan kesadaran perusahaan dalam mengurus sertifikasi sebagai tindakan preventif menanggulangi bencana lingkungan maupun sosial yang tidak diinginkan.

Sedangkan untuk setiap individu, saya harap kita dapat lebih teliti sebelum membeli. Setidaknya sekarang Anda sudah tahu harus memilih produk apa. Tidak ada salahnya membaca infomasi di kemasan produk sebelum membeli, bukan hanya membanding-bandingkan harga. Padahal apabila ditinjau dari dampak jangka panjang, harga murah tersebut bisa jadi harus dibayar dengan rusaknya lingkungan yang sama sekali tidak ternilai. Apabila Anda memiliki toko, saya juga memohon agar berani menolak produk-produk yang tidak ramah lingkungan agar tercipta urgensi pengurusan sertifikasi produk di Indonesia. Jika tidak begini mudah saja korporasi berargumen, "Buat apa? Indonesia tidak peduli sertifikasi, Indonesia peduli harga murah."

Saat ini tengah dilakukan penyidikan terhadap korporasi yang bertanggung jawab atas kebakaran lahan. Tentu saja kita berharap segera dapat ditemukan bukti-bukti definitif untuk mempermudah prosesnya. Kasus ini harus diusut tuntas agar selanjutnya kita dapat memboikot korporasi beserta produk-produknya sebagai bukti tindakan tegas konsumen.

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Sumber: www.zalora.co.id

The ZALORA Scholarship adalah program beasiswa berbasis penghargaan dari ZALORA Grup untuk mahasiswa di Indonesia, Malaysia, Filipina, Singapura, Thailand, Vietnam, dan Hong Kong. Tujuh orang pemenang dari setiap negara akan mendapatkan pembinaan secara profesional dari ZALORA.

Beasiswa ini terbuka untuk mahasiswa dari seluruh jurusan maupun tingkatan. Jadi tidak usah ragu kalau kamu bukan mahasiswa desain atau sains. Pendaftaran beasiswa cukup dengan mengisi formulir dan membuat karya sesuai tema. Benefit yang akan kamu dapatkan adalah beasiswa kuliah dengan nominal sampai Rp 15.000.000 dan kesempatan bekerja paruh waktu di kantor ZALORA Indonesia. Lewat kesempatan ini kamu bisa mengubah passion menjadi profesi yang sesungguhnya!

ZALORA tahu kamu punya medium favorit dalam berkarya, maka kamu diperbolehkan untuk mengirimkan karya dalam 3 format berbeda yaitu.

• Tulisan maksimal 1000 kata tanpa foto atau maksimal 800 kata dengan 2 buah foto
• Foto format JPG dengan caption maksimal 50 kata
• Video yang diupload lewat Youtube dengan durasi maksimal 10 menit

Seluruh karya tersebut dibuat sesuai dengan tema ZALORA Scholarship tahun ini yaitu The Science of Fashion atau perpaduan antara mode dan sains. Pemenang akan dipilih berdasarkan ide yang paling inovatif dan relevan dengan tema. Lalu apa hubungan antara mode dan sains? Bukankah keduanya seakan bertolakbelakang?

Saya akan membantu memberi sedikit inspirasi. Pasti kamu pernah mendengar mengenai Louboutin red sole heels. Sepatu ikonik yang kerap dikenakan sosialita dan selebriti papan atas ini memiliki desain khusus yang membuat pemakainya merasa nyaman dan tidak kesakitan walaupun dipakai dalam waktu lama. Desain sepatu yang berkaitan dengan hitung-hitungan anatomi dan ergonomi tubuh ini bahkan sudah dipatenkan sehingga tidak ada yang bisa meniru. Sepatu lainnya seperti Nike juga tidak asal mendesain bentuk sepatu hanya berdasarkan aspek estetika, buktinya banyak sekali varian sepatu berbeda untuk tipe olahraga yang berbeda pula. Penyesuaiannya dilakukan berdasarkan karakter dan medan masing-masing olahraga. Banyak prinsip sains dan engineering diterapkan disini.

Penerapan sains lainnya yang cukup jelas adalah dari segi material. Perbedaan material bisa memberikan fungsi dan image yang khas untuk suatu produk apalagi jika material yang digunakan cukup unik seperti biodegradable atau upcycle. Setelah material diolah, bidang kimia juga akan sangat berperan dalam proses pewarnaan. Intinya dalam menciptakan produk fashion, selalu ada strategi keilmuan di baliknya. Strategi apakah yang bisa kamu tawarkan untuk ZALORA?

Nah saat ini pasti kamu sudah mulai terbayang tentang entry yang akan dikirim. Yuk jadi bagian dari angkatan pertama ZALORA Scholarship! Daftar sekarang juga disini dan kirimkan aplikasi ke scholarship@zalora.com sebelum 16 Oktober 2015. Good luck!

PS. ZALORA juga membuka kesempatan untuk local brand bergabung dengan e-commerce fashion terbesar di Asia Pasifik ini. Prosedur pendaftarannya sangat mudah, kamu cukup klik disini dan mengisi formulir singkat untuk kemudian dihubungi oleh tim ZALORA.

Sumber: www.zalora.co.id

Once upon a time a boy ate gado-gado which was made from fresh vegetables that his mother bought earlier at the nearest local market. It was sided with half-boiled eggs, acquired from his father’s chicken farm. Meanwhile a woman light-heartedly tried a new batik dress which she sewed herself with batik from Pekalongan’s artisans.

Do you notice the distinction between the story and current situation? In the story below, the boy and the woman fathom the resources and where they come from. A scarcely happen situation in today’s society, particularly for kids. My friend told me that her little nephew didn’t know that cheese is processed from cows since he never saw any cows in town. He also had a hard time believing that in order to fabricate paper, we need trees. The reason is her nephew merely exposed to the final products in modern supermarket and didn’t engage with the process.

Apparently there is a mist that blocks our knowledge about manufacturer and distribution process. We become indifferent because of all the ease, comfort, and instantaneous provided by today’s commodity. Whether it is food, cloth, or gadget, everything just happened to be in our hands without further ado. The urgency of ‘Where did it come from?’ question constantly vanished. Moreover people often think that this question is unattainable to answer since the process is much more elaborate nowadays. But look at the photo below.

(Source: instagram.com/letusee.yk)

The photo was taken by a restaurant owner who provided homemade organic food for a wedding celebration in Yogyakarta. She ensured that the meals were fresh and handled responsibly because she values sustainability and healthy lifestyle. Another example is from the video below. It shows a teacher in Japan who explains distinctly about the meals’ ingredients. Most of those were harvested from school plantation. Therefore the school perceives the importance of sustainability in daily life.


Sustainability is an ability or capacity of something to be maintained or to sustain itself. It’s about taking what we need to live now, without jeopardising the potential for people in the future to meet their needs (source: landlearnnsw.org.au). Sustainability does not solely refer to environmental act. One prominent approach is the triple bottom line which consists of economic, social, and environmental impact. If we are not concerned about most of our goods’ resources, we are not living a sustainable life. We have to see in bigger picture beyond tangible occurrence, not only in pragmatic frame of mind. Some things that happened today will leave long term effect (causality), even hundred years after we die.

At any rate the big corps provoke this indifference. While inflation skyrockets, on the contrary the price of lifestyle products is getting cheaper. For instance even people with low income force theirself to buy the hippest smartphone or television. This also can be seen in fashion industry. Clothes, shoes, and accessories are more affordable than before thus we can dispose it and buy newer pieces without remorse as long as it embodies trend. Conspicuously the big corps also proposes trend that keeps shifting, then it generates never ending cycle and consumerist culture. Other implications are shorter product lifecycle and more waste. The True Cost, a documentary about vicious truth behind fashion industry, unveils this matter thoroughly.


The most eye-opener part from the movie is the Bangladesh garment industry catastrophe. For the past few years people in Bangladesh do not make clothes other than t-shirts which were exported to major western fashion brands. They were paid with insufficient wage, but the factory owner desperately cannot refuse the offer. If he refuses, he is afraid the brands will choose another factory and there will be no job opportunity. In general the brands prefer factory in poor country so they can hire the cheapest garment workers for less than $3 a day. Some people also consider this as unethical since they have to cope with the risks of dangerous chemical exposure and work under stressful surroundings. This is slavery in disguise.

Later on April 2015, things started to change. A factory building in Bangladesh was collapsed and killed hundreds people. There were more people than the building capacity and the owner decided to add more stories with minimum budget and neglect safety standard. Of course this is a demand from the big corps who aims to gain more profit. Finally people aroused in demonstration and Bangladesh’s workers were convinced that they must obtain fair treatment. A worker said they strived to craft every piece of clothes and might sacrifice their blood (because of the accident and disease) so they deserve less intimidation.

But how about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, isn’t it enough? Like the phrase above, we have to fully understand about the true cost. Besides production cost there are also impacts and risks. Is the CSR worth the risks? Or does the CSR handle different problems while the true destruction keeps happening? Good corps will put purpose beyond profit. It is not only about CSR but more into holistic sustainable process. Giving $10 when you are selling $100 is different than giving $10 when you are selling $100.000. CSR is mandatory and it does not always mean the company do something great.

On the other hand there is an intriguing phenomenon in China, a country we all know dominates world market. In a documentary titled Factory of The World we can explore inside the enormous factory in Xiamen. It has the size of a small town with independent community who works like robots. All factory employees work there, live there, get married there, and their kids go to school there. They even have recreational facility such as karaoke room and sport fields. Clearly there is no boundary between work and life but at the same time they feel content. The manager makes sure they all well-rested and well-fed thus they can enhance their work performance. The routine is insane but still it is better for them than to be beggars or homeless. This is why we are flooded by ‘made in China’ product.


Eric Ries (2011) in The Lean Startup conveyed that the right question to ask before creating new product is not ‘Can it be built?’ but ‘Should it be built?’ The main purpose of product is to solve problem and now there are more products today than we actually need. Those products were built to satisfy our pride and desire. Furthermore some products claim to be eco-friendly but is it really what the world seeks? To answer this question I recommend you to watch this TED video by Leyla Acaroglu and contemplate her thought about product-system failure.


These videos completely change my perspective on products. Now whenever I glance at overpriced imported products I am no longer have intention to buy. In other words, with this essay I want to propose ‘buying local products’ as one of the simple yet relevant solution. Local product is nearer with us which means the distribution process does not waste too much energy. If we put more effort, we can trace local products directly to the source and double-check the quality. Some people might be hesitant since the price is often more expensive, but bear in mind that these products are not manufactured by big corps whose motive is to lessen production cost unreasonably. Local products will also support local community and economy to grow, for instance lately social enterprises that collaborate with rural community are thriving. For me Indonesia is a truly rich country-especially in terms of natural and human resources-and has to strengthen its self-sufficiency. So let's support local brands!

Pada 11-12 Agustus 2015 lalu saya berkesempatan untuk menjadi salah satu presentator dalam International Conference on Creative Industries (ICCI) 2015 di Denpasar, Bali. Kesempatan ini sekaligus menjadi kali pertama saya melakukan riset independen walaupun kecil-kecilan dan mempresentasikannya dalam konferensi besar. Awalnya saya hanya iseng saja mengirimkan Abstract dan diterima padahal saat itu saya tidak memiliki research paper-nya (seharusnya Abstract dibuat terakhir setelah penelitian selesai dan menemukan kesimpulan). Ternyata ini menjadi pengalaman menyenangkan karena paper saya di-proofread oleh international reviewer sehingga saya mendapat banyak masukan terutama mengenai penggunaan Bahasa Inggris secara formal dan saintifik. Oleh karena itu saya terus menulis essay di blog ini dalam Bahasa Inggris, agar saya dapat terus belajar.

Proseding dan Jadwal Presentasi ICCI 2015

Tapi hal paling menarik yang saya dapat dari perjalanan singkat ini bukan konferensi itu sendiri, melainkan kesempatan untuk berkunjung ke Bali Creative Industry Center (BCIC) sebagai lokasi pameran produk kreatif dan presentasi essay.

BCIC baru dibuka pada pertengahan tahun ini. Wajar apabila ketika Anda berkunjung dengan taksi, beberapa pengemudi masih belum familiar. Namun lokasi BCIC di Jl. WR Supratman Denpasar dapat ditemukan dengan bantuan Google Maps. Lokasinya tidak begitu jauh dari Fave Hotel. Saat saya berkunjung kesana masih ada beberapa titik yang sedang dalam proses pembangunan, sehingga sebenarnya BCIC pun masih dalam tahap pengembangan.

Begitu masuk ke dalam area pengunjung akan disambut beberapa creative showroom sebagai sarana jual beli produk kreatif. Sampai saat tulisan ini dibuat showroom dibagi menjadi 4 gedung berbeda yaitu: ceramic, jewelry, fashion, dan craft. BCIC juga memiliki exhibition hall serbaguna untuk keperluan pameran dan acara, sedangkan lantai duanya digunakan sebagai area inkubasi. Area inkubasi tidak jauh berbeda dengan kantor pada umumnya dengan kubikel dan ruang rapat, namun bedanya digunakan sebagai shared office. Pengurus BCIC pun berencana menyiapkan studio berisi alat-alat lengkap mulai dari bengkel keramik sampai mesin laser cutting untuk menunjang eksplorasi. Tujuannya tentu untuk meminimalisir kesulitan saat harus berkunjug ke berbagai vendor.

Creative Showroom

Area Inkubasi Subsektor Aplikasi dan Permainan

Detail Kubikel Area Inkubasi

Awalnya saya mengira BCIC adalah program dari Kementerian Ekonomi Kreatif, tapi ternyata BCIC adalah program dari Kementerian Perindustrian bekerja sama dengan Institut Teknologi 10 Nopember Surabaya (ITS). BCIC diharapkan dapat menjadi pusat atau sentra pengembangan industri kreatif Indonesia. Hal yang cukup menarik bagi saya karena pemusatan dilakukan di luar Pulau Jawa. Saya rasa hal ini sangat positif mengingat pentingnya inklusifitas dari ekonomi kreatif. Bali juga telah lama dikenal sebagai destinasi wisata favorit turis asing sehingga bisa memperluas pangsa pasar ke arah internasional.

Program utama BCIC adalah memberi pelatihan untuk desainer sekaligus wirausahawan muda agar lebih siap bersaing saat terjun ke industri kreatif dan menghasilkan produk berkualitas yang mampu bersaing secara global. Beberapa teman say dari jurusan Desain Produk dan Kriya Tekstil langsung mengikuti program yang dilaksanakan mulai Agustus sampai Desember 2015 ini setelah wisuda. Sebagai permulaan peserta pelatihan turut mempresentasikan karyanya pada pembukaan ICCI 2015. Salah satu keunggulan program ini adalah gratis, mulai dari tiket pesawat ke Bali sampai akomodasi.

Menteri Perindustrian Saleh Husin Meninjau Produk-Produk Karya Peserta Inkubasi BCIC Saat Pembukaan ICCI

Program BCIC lainnya yang sedang dijalankan saat ini adalah sosialisasi program ke berbagai kota dan Kompetisi Kriya & Fesyen. Kompetisi ini dibuka untuk seluruh warga Indonesia sampai usia 30 tahun. Pemenangnya akan mendapat hadiah berupa uang tunai dan program pembinaan. Tertarik?

Mari dukung organisasi dan lembaga pengembangan industri kreatif di Indonesia!

I once tweeted, "We already got free education. It is called library." Yes, we have to differentiate between education and title. Going to school or college seems like inevitable obligation for us, but to learn outside the formal academic environment is optional. Creative economy means people must seek alternative ways to solve problem, including education.

When I contemplated more about this, I found out that free education is even easier than library. In contemporary world there are more ways to acquire free education and here is my list. If you want to visit the website directly, just click the name (it will open in new tab).


1. FOLLOW THE RIGHT ACCOUNTS


Some of my friends already left Twitter months ago, but I can't. It literally makes me smarter. The old Twitter was full of unnecessary information. Not that I do not appreciate them, but eventually we do not have to know everything. This is a chance for you to follow the right accounts. Transform your timeline in to your personal newspaper. Now you will never miss any essential and relevant news. Do not forget to follow some accounts which inform the latest announcement of event, competition, or award.

You can follow recommended accounts below or just follow my account @curiositiescab. I do not share about personal life a lot and I frequently re-tweet the finest reading materials I find in the internet.

Recommended Accounts (in alphabetical order).
@aeonmag
@BBC_Future
@boredpanda
@brainpickings
@Creative_Boom
@CreativeReview
@FCSpotlight
@HarvardBiz
@ideo
@lifehackorg
@mental_floss
@NautilusMag
@NGIndonesia
@the_magdalene
@thescienceofus
@ThoughtCatalog
@waitbutwhy


2. CURATE YOUR WATCH-LIST


YouTube means no endless remote clicking to find a perfect channel. Find a topic you love and the suggestion (up next) is often helpful. Currently there are many channels which provide educational topic with exquisite illustration. As if seeing your textbook material comes to life!

However if you are too lazy to search, Brainpump is perfect for you. It automatically curates YouTube videos based on your personal interest. There are several popular topics such as: psychology, physics, history, and business.


Recommended Channels (in alphabetical order).
Alltime10s
ASAPScience
Crash Course
Documentary Tube
engVid
In a Nutshell - Kurzgesagt
MinuteEarth
TED-Ed
The School of Life
The RSA
WonderWhy


3. GET ADVICE FROM THE EXPERT

Almost every business tip encourages to find the right mentor. Well, if you have not find it yet, in the mean time you can meet inspiring expert from TED. TED provides videos of speakers from various backgrounds in approximately 5 to 18 minutes. Those are called TED Talks. What I love the most from this website is its playlist. From clueless fresh graduate, band geek, environmental savvy, to broken home kid can find suitable playlist for them.


4. LEARN WHILE HAVING FUN WITH QUIZ

If you have short attention spans and can't stand reading in-depth article or watching long video, why not try some interactive quizzes? You can play games and have fun but unconsciously you will also learn something new. As far as I know there are 2 types of websites, one where you can learn anything from flash cards and one where you can learn language. Some of these websites also available in Android and iOS, thus you can learn conveniently from your gadget.

Recommended Websites (in alphabetical order).
Brainrush
Cerego
Duolingo
Memrise
Quizlet


5. ENROLL IN ONLINE COURSES

Have you ever tried any Massive Open Online Course (MOOC)? For me it is one of the greatest break-through of the internet. With MOOC you can learn anything from home, in pajamas, and at your own pace. The courses are free and some of them offer certificate to purchase. There are also quizzes and exercises to evaluate your knowledge. So, do you have a dream of studying in world's top universities? You can learn from them with MOOC.

My favourite MOOC is FutureLearn and I already did some courses. Based on my experience FutureLearn's platform is the easiest to navigate for beginner.


Recommended MOOCS (in alphabetical order).
Cousera
EdX
FutureLearn
Khan Academy
Udacity
Universitas Ciputra Courses for Entrepreneurs


6. EXPLORE MIT'S SYLLABUS

MIT is awarded as world's best university by QS World University Ranking 2014/2015. Undoubtedly it is tough to be a part of MIT, but we still can explore MIT's syllabus and learn similar course with MIT's students here. There are some downloadable course materials, videos if you are lucky, reading list, and assignments. Use this website to complement your study and learn about your subject profoundly.


7. PAY WITH TWEET

It is true that there are many websites as free e-book source, but in this blog I try to give a legal advice. You can download free e-books which are classified as public domain here, but of course you have to pay for newly published books. Another way to get free e-book is to search for some independent writer or publisher who sells e-book via pay with tweet (or facebook share).

Recommended Free & Legal E-Books (in alphabetical order):
Business Model
Design Matters
Design Thinking
Everything There is to Know About Logo Design
T-Shirts and Suits
The Creative Aid
Winning Without Losing


8. MEET INSPIRING PEOPLE

(Sumber: news.liputan6.com)

Do you want to do something meaningful and contribute to the greater society? Then volunteerism is the answer. The opportunity is everywhere, you just have to choose what suits you best. By being volunteer you will learn from experience to accomplish goals of the event and create social acquaintance with people upon similar concern. Maybe you may find ideal discuss partner.

The photo above is an event by Kelas Inspirasi where volunteers from different professional backgrounds substitute elementary school teachers for a day. The aim is to build up students' confidence to pursue their dream job.


9. VISIT LIBRARIES

(Sumber: sebandung.com)

Forget the imagery of old building, dusty books, and eerie atmosphere. Modern library is much better than that! For instance the photo above is Kineruku, a prominent indie library and bookstore in Bandung. Since the owner is a married couple with design & literacy background, the books here are compatible with my preference. I can read in cozy room or backside garden. What is more some bookstores hold events such as book launching, movie screening, or seminar in order to engage with their loyal visitors. Believe me, library will never lose its charm.


In general most of them require good internet access. I hope this post can convince the skeptics that internet is advantageous and we should reap the utmost of it. Hence my last tip is, withdraw from your Facebook page! Stop peeping others' life, whining, or quarreling over trivialities and do these instead. I assure that it will worth your precious time.

Do I miss anything? Share your thoughts and ideas on how to get free education in the comment section.