Jepara’s economy has been in its golden age for decades, but now relies almost entirely on wood products. As furniture disappears from Jepara, so does its woodcarving culture. Woodcarving and furniture making are crucial to Jepara. They require resources, and those resources are trees, particularly teak and mahogany.
The Indonesian Timber Legality System (SVLK) became the first system globally approved under the European Union’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) license. This license enables the easy entry of legal timber and its derivatives into the European market. The community hopes this permit will benefit Jepara’s small businesses. It’s no exaggeration to say that Jepara’s economic life revolves around wood and woodcraft. City streets are lined with logs loaded and unloaded from trucks, women carve intricate designs at roadside stalls, men cut and measure teak planks, and various pieces of furniture, large and small. Those are sold in shops.
Jepara furniture is more durable. Jepara teak wood is of higher quality than teak produced abroad. Due to its durability, this furniture is highly sought after by furniture collectors. The older the wood, the higher the price. Most importantly, Jepara furniture is more water and termite-resistant. The main problem with wooden furniture is its susceptibility to flooding and termite infestation. Water can damage the material, but termites love to eat away at wooden furniture. Fortunately, Jepara teak contains natural oils, making it resistant to both. Furthermore, Jepara crafts offer a wide selection of exquisite carvings.
The best recommendations for Jepara wood can be found by examining the characteristics of wood commonly used for woodcraft, such as teak, mahogany, trembesi, or sungkai. This ensures that prospective buyers get the best furniture they need. Not all Jepara furniture is based in Jepara; for example, some stores or showrooms have branches in Yogyakarta, Solo, Jakarta, and other cities, or perhaps act as suppliers.
–sh
Source image: JeparaTeak.com
