The Cigondewah textile center, otherwise known as the Cigondewah Textile Area (KTC) was inaugurated as one of the Bandung City Tourism Creative Villages, along with four other creative tourism villages located in Braga, Cigadung, Binong Jati and Cinambo. Bandung Mayor Yana Mulyana, who attended and inaugurated KTC directly as a Tourism Creative Village, said that the declaration of KTC as a tourism creative village is expected to be a driving force for community empowerment and independence in developing the potential of textile resources in the region. He also said he would include KTC in Bandung City shopping tour packages.
"The point is that we encourage this KTC to be more developed and empower the surrounding economy even more," Yana said, Wednesday (22/6/2022).
"We will encourage this area to be included in a tour package, including through cooperation with West Bandung. Hopefully later we can work together with Bandung Regency for tourism," he added.
Yana also promised to repair and develop the textile center infrastructure which has been developing since the 1980s. Although it has been relocated in 2007, the capacity of KTC is still relatively small, especially when referring to the parking area and the number of traders in this area.
"Currently there are around 300 traders, our land is not very wide, especially parking space, maybe it can only accommodate 80-90 cars, maybe more motorbikes. But if there are too many visitors, we will also be in trouble," said Dede Rustiawan, the manager and family of the founder of KTC, Wednesday (22/6/2022).
He said, so far, especially during the pandemic, the majority of traders are more massive in selling their wares through digital platforms so that direct buying and selling transactions tend to be less. He also said that KTC's consumers were mostly from textile or convection business managers.
"This market looks deserted, but it's actually more massive online, moreover, our customers are actually more from the convection industry or fashion entrepreneurs, although there are also residents who buy units here," said Dede.
He explained that this KTC was actually an initiation of the formation of the KTC based on the desire of the late Kurnaen Wiriadisastra to empower residents around Cigondewah who at that time were really struggling in the textile sector, especially fabrics. Dede said, before being collected in one area, all residents peddled their cloth wares along the road which often caused traffic jams in the area.
Finally in 1980, Kurnaen decided to buy a piece of land in stages on Jalan Tanjakan Ma'aren which is now known as Jalan Cigondewah Rahayu. Initially, the traders who filled the land actually came from outside Cigondewah. But gradually, as many tourists came to shop there, many merchants around KTC finally decided to join.
"Initially even from outside (Cigondewah), there were from Padang, or traders from Pasar Baru, the numbers were also few, you can count on the fingers. But over time it continues to grow and the land continues to be expanded to this day," said Dede.
Even so, Dede admits that limited land is still a problem for which a solution has not been found. He hopes that with the inauguration of KTC as a Bandung City Tourism Creative Village, the Bandung City Government can open wider access for KTC to be able to develop its wings.
"Hopefully with this inauguration, more people will know and are interested in coming and shopping at KTC, because limited land is still our problem," he said.
