Europe: a Market for Eco-Friendly Product

Tuesday, 10 February, 2009 | 19:08 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Yogyakarta:Industry Minister Fahmi Idris said small-scale businesses must adjust to market trends in order to survive the global financial crisis. “Don’t dictate the market, instead, adjust to what the buyers want,” he said, visiting the furniture industry in Yogyakarta last Saturday. 

According to Fahmi, eco-friendly products have added value sought by the Japanese and European markets. “Waste turned into an art work can have a high value,” he said. This has been a trend since the global warming movement began two years ago. 

In this crisis, Budi Virgono said, demands for furniture products and Lunar lamps increased by 20 percent. “The orders keep coming, especially from Japan,” he said. Besides adjusting to the current trend, he also uses used products and waste. “All customers asked that the products be eco-friendly,” he said. 

VENNIE MELYANI