Utilizing Lurik Waste for Handicraft Home Industry to Improve Low Class Family Income

English Literature Study Program, Linguistics Department, Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: wiwieksundari@lecturer.undip.ac.id

Abstract

Culture is one of human civilization evidence that makes them live a cultured and a civilized life. Lurik is one of Javanese local wisdom of utilizing natural fabric material which is abundant around the environment. It is specially made and tailored into lurik for Javanese low-class society since the high-class society choose to wear batik to show their high class. This research shows how lurik, particularly its waste, is used as part of Javanese modern and traditional items in local and small business of handicraft home industry in Yogyakarta. In addition to the wise use of lurik waste, the home industry is employing housewives from low class family. Apart from the fact that their wages are lower than the average workers, which is affordable for the small business, employing housewives means helping them to earn additional income to improve their families’ wealth. The data were collected by holding literature review of lurik’s philosophy, observation of the business activities, and interview with the parties involved in the business. The result shows that Javanese local people understand well the philosophy of lurik and utilize it properly for the sake of their benefit, that is, their business and their workers’ better life condition.