At a time when the furniture and craft industry is facing challenges due to the weakening of Indonesia’s furniture export market in 2023. The furniture and craft industry is still one of Indonesia’s creative industries that contributes significant export value. Data on furniture and handicraft exports in the third quarter of 2023 only reached US$ 1.8 billion, down from US$ 2.5 billion in 2022 with an accumulated decline of 28 percent in one year. This is due to the geopolitical and inflationary conditions that are hitting the global market. Nevertheless, the Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Industry Association (HIMKI) remains optimistic that the furniture and handicraft industry will grow this year. One of them is through the largest furniture and craft exhibition in Indonesia, Indonesia International Furniture Expo (IFEX). . With a wider scope of exhibitions, IFEX is present to encourage local producers to showcase and market a variety of furniture and craft products with unique characteristics and illustrate Indonesian cultivation.
In IFEX 2024 Citra Fajar Utama (CFU) is still present to show its products in the global market with the belief that it will be able to expand the export market to foreign countries and increase the value of exports. At the 9th IFEX this time CFU displayed several new products both outdoor and indoor furniture. Citra Fajar Utama also innovated by combining rattan with teak which we applied in chairs and cabinets. In addition, we also expand the materials we use by producing chairs from iron, aluminum combined with rattan or knitted rope. These are all innovations that we hope can increase sales in the future.
In its 9th year, IFEX adopted the theme R.E.A.L, which stands for Reflection on Culture, Experiencing the Comfort, Adapting to Sustainability, and Leading the Innovation.
