Malessa Fashion: Patchworks from Tipes That Unite a Mother and Daughter
In the bustling alleys of Tipes, the hum of sewing machines resonates from the modest home of Madu Mastiti. From scraps of fabric, she built Malessa Fashion, a business named after the combination of her own name and her daughter, Alesha. Her decision to leave an office job to be closer to her family unexpectedly opened a new path, one filled with courage, discipline, and a relentless drive to grow.
Stitching Dreams Through Courage and Consistency
With an initial investment of only Rp180,000 for 10 kilograms of fabric scraps, Mrs. Madu began crafting patchwork house dresses to sell to wholesalers. As her courage grew, she ventured into the digital marketplace, promoting her products on Facebook Marketplace. This strategic move attracted an influx of buyers and expanded her opportunities. Mrs. Madu single-handedly managed all aspects of her business, from production and shipping to the responsibilities of caring for her child.
To ensure sustainability, Mrs. Madu implemented a disciplined approach by paying herself a salary and meticulously tracking profits against expenses such as electricity, raw materials, and operational costs. This principle has become the bedrock of her business practices.
The Pandemic Wasn’t a Barrier, but a Turning Point
The Covid-19 pandemic, which brought many challenges, became a pivotal moment for Mrs. Madu. As markets closed and her husband lost his job, she adapted by producing masks from leftover fabric scraps. Orders flooded in, even from outside the island. Notably, she once sent masks to Pabuaran Village in Sumatra by entrusting them to an ALS bus delivery service. Gradually, she expanded her operations by acquiring more sewing machines and empowering women in her neighborhood.
Growing Together with DIVA
Before joining the DIVA Permata Tipes program, Madu had already initiated a women’s group called Wanita Berkarya (“Women Creating”) in 2020, supported by the village head and the Ministry of Manpower. The group consisted of 20 women.
The DIVA training became a major complement to her business. “Like cooking rice, before it was half-cooked, after joining DIVA, it became perfectly done,” she said. Together with her peers, she learned product photography, catalog design, logos, copywriting, and digital promotion techniques. For her, the most impactful training was on Google Business, as many customers began coming after finding her shop there, ranging from high school and university orders in Solo to customers from other cities. She also started doing live selling, showcasing her production process to affirm the authenticity of her handmade products. This strategic shift resulted in an impressive 30% increase in her turnover.
Amusingly, many participants struggled at first with technology. “Miss, I’m so tech-illiterate. I can’t do anything except produce. How do I set these Google Business coordinates?” she recalled with laughter. However, the spirit of collaboration prevailed as everyone supported one another, fostering a learning environment rather than competition.
Behind all the achievements, Madu is aware that there are still many “threads” left to stitch in her entrepreneurial journey.
Her message for fellow MSME players in Tipes: “Apply the knowledge you’ve learned. Be consistent, have a strategy, and shift your mindset to become strong, resilient, and persistent entrepreneurs. That is what will take us forward.”
Mrs. Madu’s journey serves as a reminder that not everyone starts with inherent knowledge. She transformed from a novice to a knowledgeable entrepreneur, evolving from doubt to belief. This transformation, she asserts, is the true key to the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
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