Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Industry is partnering with the National Crafts Council (Dekranas) to foster a more supportive landscape for Indonesia’s crafts and traditional textiles through promotion facilitation, marketing expansion, and capacity-building programs.Director General of Small, Medium, and Miscellaneous Industries Reni Yanita highlighted that the ministry’s efforts included organizing Swarna Wastra Nusantara (SWN) 2026 as a venue to develop and promote crafts and traditional textiles produced by small and medium industry (SMI) players.“This activity offers craftsmen and SMI actors from various regions space to showcase their finest works, expand business networks, and introduce the cultural values embedded in their products,” she remarked in Jakarta on Tuesday.Yanita noted that SWN 2026, which runs from June 9 to 11, features a diverse range of products from 45 SMI businesses, including traditional woven fabrics such as songket, batik, accessories, and handicrafts that reflect Indonesia’s rich textile heritage and cultural diversity.The participants include craftsmen supported by ministries, state-owned enterprises, Dekranas and its regional branches, as well as regional governments, she added.Dekranas Deputy Chair I, Loemongga Kartasasmita, observed that Indonesia’s heritage textiles are gaining momentum amid the growing popularity of the slow fashion movement in many countries due to their uniqueness, quality, and cultural value, which cannot be replicated by mass-produced products.“Moreover, our crafts industry plays an important role in the national economy and is receiving increasing recognition in global markets,” Kartasasmita saidShe explained that Indonesian textile products align well with the slow fashion trend because they are crafted using traditional techniques and natural materials, making them more durable and sustainable.“That is why Indonesian textiles are regarded as unique products in both domestic and international markets,” Kartasasmita affirmed.Meanwhile, Director of Chemical, Clothing, and Craft Small and Medium Industries at the Ministry of Industry, Budi Setiawan, expressed hope that SWN 2026 would encourage younger generations to appreciate products rooted in Indonesia’s cultural heritage.“The regeneration of craftsmen and entrepreneurs is a crucial factor in ensuring the sustainability of the nation’s cultural heritage,” Setiawan said.