Creating Handicrafts from Firewood: Purwokerto, Central Java

I will always be fascinated by the humungous amount of creative talent across the archipelago. Craftsmen and women can create beautiful objects from the simplest of materials and then sell them on.

Agus Maryono talks to a man from the Teluk village who is adept at turning firewood into handicrafts:

Handicrafts can become a good source of income in the hands of creative people. Marso, 38, a resident of Teluk, South Purwokerto, Banyumas, Central Java, is a case in point.

Marso turns local woods such as kalba, pule, salam and waru into handicrafts which have a high markup. These woods are usually considered too soft to be used for construction purposes and are usually sold at a low price.

Marso’s skilled hand, however, turns these woods into works of art that carry reasonably high price tags. For around 10 years Marso has been making picture frames. A frame can earn him 10 times the amount of money he paid for the wood to make it.

Depending on the quality, he can buy a pule log around seven meters in length and 25 centimeters in diameter for Rp 100,000 (US$9.90). “If the quality is good, that is if the wood is flawless and mature, I’m willing to pay Rp 100,000 for one log,” he said.

From a single log Marso can make dozens, sometimes even hundreds of frames. A picture frame measuring 1.25 meters by 1 meter costs around Rp 150,000. “The price also depends on the model and the variations a buyer wishes to have. If he wishes to have gold paint and more carvings each will cost Rp 250,000,”

Marso said at his residence, which also serves as his workshop.

“The smallest size we can make is about 30 centimeters by 50 centimeters. It costs around Rp 50,000,” he said.

Making a picture frame is not difficult. However, a skilled hand is required to saw the wood and carve it, he said.

First, the log is cut vertically into thin layers suiting the desired frame sizes. Then an outline is made on the wood. Afterwards, the wood is cut into desired sizes and assembled into a frame.
When a frame has taken shape it is painted using a compressor and special paints for wood.

“When it is dried a picture or a photograph can be put in place within the frame and then it is ready to be sold or dispatched to the buyer,” Marso said.

The photograph and wooden frame are then covered with a plastic sheet to make the package more esthetically pleasing.

Thanks to his perseverance, Marso, assisted by three employees, has gained the trust of a wide range of customers, including those in business and government.

“Yes, thank God, many government and private offices place orders with us. Perhaps because they are satisfied with our products,” Marso said.

He added that he was flexible with his customers. “If they cannot pay in full, they can pay by installment,” he said.

He said when dealing with government agencies or schools, he never issued false receipts to enable the buyer to claim an inflated reimbursement. “We are religious people. To lie is a sin. If the price is Rp 150,000 per piece, we will write that much on the receipt and I won’t mark it up,” he said.

“Yes, he is an honest person. He is a devout Muslim. We are proud to see someone like Pak Marso because today it is very rare to find an honest person,” said Godeg (25), one of his employees.

Godeg has been working for Marso for three years and is paid Rp 20,000 a day. He said he had never thought of cheating in his work, even though he had good opportunities to do so.

“I’m allowed to accept an order and set the price at the same time. However, as I have this trust I must keep it as best I can. If there is a profit, we will all have a share,” Godeg added.

Agus Maryono