Purun Bag Crafts: Bridging Rural-Urban Divides Through Value-Added Marketing

Previous research on the Purun plant (Lepironia articulata) reveals its traditional applications, commercial possibilities, and climate change mitigation potential. Additional research on Purun urban-rural links is needed to strengthen the regional economies of the South Kalimantan, Indonesia, wetlands. Rural and urban South Kalimantan wetlands are economically, socially, and environmentally linked. These connections can help Purun bag women's businesses prosper economically. These links can empower women by making and selling Purun bags with value. Marketing management evaluated the mutual benefits rural and urban areas get from their linkage. The goal was to demonstrate how value-added marketing can improve Purun crafts' rural-urban relations. Digital marketing helps urban and rural women sell colorful Purun bag crafts and make additional revenue. This paper examined (1) urban-rural linkages in producing and marketing value-added Purun bags, (2) the feasibility and profitability of disadvantaged urban women in South Kalimantan wetlands producing them, and (3) Purun bag women entrepreneurs' challenges and opportunities. Using surveys, FGDs, and 22 participant interviews, a questionnaire collected demographics, production, marketing, and income data. Policymakers, local authorities, and other stakeholders were interviewed semi-structured. Secondary data were gathered from relevant literature, papers, and government statistics. The initiative taught impoverished women to create Purun bags with value. Through product design and marketing, the study may help women entrepreneurs earn more and live better. This study promotes sustainable development by utilizing locally available materials and reducing the environmental impact of production and transportation. Finally, it can preserve cultural treasures and handicrafts.