Sharia-Based Financing in the Creative Industry at Bunut Shoe Store Kisaran: Challenges and the Role of Islamic Financial Institutions

Ideally, creative industry players should be able to grow with financing support that is accessible, fair, and aligned with Sharia principles. In reality, however, the Bunut Shoe Store in Kisaran still faces various obstacles, such as limited access to Sharia financial institutions and low literacy in Sharia-based financing. This study aims to analyze these challenges and examine the role of Sharia financial institutions in developing the Sharia-based creative industry at Bunut Shoe Store. This article is a field research employing a qualitative approach with a descriptive analytical method. Primary data were obtained through interviews, while secondary data were sourced from academic journals. The findings reveal that the Bunut Shoe Store's creative industry holds great potential to support the local economy through a labor-intensive home industry model, and Sharia-based financing is considered a strategic means to ensure business sustainability with fairness and blessings. However, challenges such as low financial literacy, strict administrative requirements, and limited access to relevant funding information continue to hinder the optimization of Sharia financing. Therefore, synergy between business actors and Sharia financial institutions through education, mentoring, and adaptive financing schemes is essential to promote a competitive and Islamic values-based creative industry.