BAGI IBU tiga anak ini, nama tersebut menjadi semacam tetenger atau wujud syukur atas garis hidup yang dijalani. “Karena apa yang saya dapat dan terima saat ini tak lepas dari berkah dan rezeki dari Allah,” terangnya. Laksana canting yang meliuk-liuk menggoreskan warna di atas kain batik, begitu pula dengan jalan hidup yang dialami warga Dusun Gading, Desa Jeruk, Kecamatan Pancur, Kabupaten Rembang ini. Perubahan hidup yang dialami saat ini nyaris membuatnya tak percaya. “Seperti guyon saja. Sama sekali nggak menyangka bisa seperti ini. Rasanya seperti mimpi,” kisahnya.
Ya, masa lalunya memang dipenuhi dengan perjuangan dan air mata. Lahir dari keluarga miskin, Masru’ah kecil hanya mampu menamatkan pendidikan hingga SD. Sempat menikmati bangku SMP, namun kondisi ekonomi keluarga membuat Masru’ah harus mengubur mimpinya. Dia putus sekolah dan menjadi pekerja di sebuah perusahaan batik. Lebih dari 14 tahun pekerjaan itu dijalani dengan pasrah.
MASRU’AH, the mother of three kids, said Rizki Barokah is a kind of marker or act of gratitude for the line of life she ever lived. “Whatever I gain and receive today is the endowing and fortune from God,” she explained. Like a canting that snaking above cloth to give batik color, Masru’ah’s life is also full of ups and downs. The life changes she experienced today almost make her can not believe. “It’s just like joking. I never expect to be like this. It is like a dream,” said the residents of Dusun Gading, Desa Jeruk RT 06/RW 02, Kecamatan Pancur, Rem- bang.
Yes, her past was illed with struggle and tears. Born from a poor family, little Masru’ah was only able to inish six year elemen- tary education. He enjoyed a junior high school, but the economic conditions of her families made Masru’ah bury her dream to have higher education. She dropped out of school and become workers in a batik company. More than 14 years, she took the work without resignation.
Tiga tahun lalu, ketika dipercaya ikut memasarkan batik milik perusahaanya, jalan sukses Masru’ah mulai terbuka. Saat itu, dari 10 kain batik yang bisa dijual, dia mendapat bonus 1 potong kain. Nah, kain itulah yang akhirnya dia batik sendiri dan dijual kembali. Semangat tinggi membuat jumlah batik yang dia jual terus bertambah, hingga mencapai 70 potong. Saat optimis- tisme menyembul, Masru’ah terkendala masalah pewarnaan batik. Selama ini dia biasa menitipkan pewarnaan ke beberapa perajin yang sudah mapan. “Nggak tahu kenapa, kok tiba-tiba mereka nggak mau dititipi. Saya mau menangis kalau ingat saat itu,” ujarnya.
Di tengah situasi kurang menguntungkan itu terbetik niat untuk mendalami teknik pewarnaan batik. Hanya saja, biaya yang dibu- tuhkan tidaklah sedikit. Untuk belajar pada ahlinya, sekurangnya perlu biaya Rp 12 juta. Alamak, dari mana biaya sebesar itu dida- pat? Sedang usahanya waktu itu masih merangkak. “Saya benar- benar putus asa, sampai kemudian kenal Pak Ruwahdi dari Bantul yang mau mengajari saya dengan biaya ringan,” tuturnya.
Sukses menguasai teknik pewarnaan membuat kemampuan- nya makin komplet. Usaha Masru’ah pun pelan-pelan tumbuh, apalagi dia mulai bergabung dengan program kemitraan Semen Indonesia. “Saya mendapat bantuan modal dan berbagai pelati- han. Beberapa kali juga diajak pameran. Alhamdulillah laku keras, pesanan makin banyak,” kata Masru’ah. Meningkatnya order membuat jumlah karyawan ikut bertambah. Bila sebelumnya bisa diihitung dengan jari, kini Rizki Barokah mempunyai 20 karyawan. Omzet penjualan pun terdongkrak sampai Rp 25 juta per bulan.
Masru’ah menyadari usaha yang dia tekuni membutuhkan kreativitas dan inovasi tinggi. Itu bagian dari upaya memenuhi keinginan pasar, di samping menghadapi persaingan di antara sesama pembatik. Karena itu dia selalu berusaha memperkaya motif. Ide bisa dari mana saja, mulai mengamati motif yang lagi tren di masyarakat, sampai melakukan perbandingan produk ketika pameran. Selain itu, demi menjaga nama baik Batik Lasem yang sudah kesohor, Masru’ah tak mau kompromi soal kualitas. “Itu saya jaga betul dengan mengontrol proses produksi dari awal sampai akhir,” tegasnya.
Memang, Batik Lasem selama ini dikenal berkualitas tinggi dan halus. Salah satu pembeda dengan batik dari daerah lain adalah
Then, when she was trusted to market batiks of her company, Masru’ah’s success road began to open. At that time, of 10 batiks that she could sell, she got bonus of 1 piece of cloth. Well, from the bonus clothes, she could paint her own batik and sell them. With high spirit, she could sell more batik belong to the company up to 70 pieces. She got high optimistism to make more her own batik. However, Masru’ah constrained problem of batik coloring. “During that time, I used to leave the coloring process to some established artisans. But, I didn’t know why in a sudden they did not want to color my clothes. I always want to cry anytime I remember it,” she said.
In the midst of unfavorable situation, she had an intention to explore the technique of batik coloring. Using canting andspecial wax, she wanted to make special batik. However, the cost of mas- tering the technique was not inexpensive. To study from the ex- perts, she at least had to pay Rp 12 million. O, God, how can she get the money? “I was really desperate, until I met Mr. Ruwahdi of Bantul who would teach me with a small fee,” she said.
Successful in mastering coloring techniques, her capabilities got more complete. Her business was growing slowly, especially when she began to join Semen Indonesia partnership program. “I got inancial aid and training. Sometime I was also invited to exhibition. Alhamdulillah, my batiks were sold out and I got more orders,” said Masru’ah. Increasing order means the number of her employees also must be increased. In the past, she only hired some employees. Today, Rizki Barokah has 20 employees. Sales turnover is boosted to $ 25 million per month.
Masru’ah learns that her business requires high creativity and high innovation. It is a part of efforts to meet the needs of market, and to face competition among batik maker. So, she always tries to enrich the motifs. Ideas can emerge from anywhere; by watch- ing trends in society, by comparing product in an exhibition, or else. In order to maintain the good reputation of batik Lasem, Masru’ah doesn’t want to compromise about quality. “It is my duty to maintain high quality by controlling the production process from start to inish,” she said.
Indeed, batik Lasem so far is well-known for high quality and smooth texture. What makes batik Lasem different from other re-