Last Wednesday, on a beautiful sunny day, Pable received the honor from a few guests from Japan. In a special trip called “Ethical Trip”, a few of Pable’s old and new friends are visiting sustainable businesses around Indonesia to share, learn, and have a conversation with us about the practice of sustainable economy and its ecosystem in Indonesia.
This trip was conducted and organized by UNISTEPS with the objective of closing the knowledge gap between sustainable business practitioners and to widen the horizon especially the market between Indonesia and Japan. About 12 people were participating, coming from all over Japan and from so many sectors. The itinerary of this trip began from Tuesday, September 1st where the trip participants landed in Surabaya and visited one of Pable’s partners, Indosole.
Day 2 wasn’t less exciting, where the participants visited both places that are the most important to Pable; Pable’s factory and the weavers village. We introduced them to our whole circular system, from the sorting of the waste, shredding, the making of yarn, and then the weaving process. The vibe is not a business trip or a study trip at all, it felt more like visiting some friends’ home because Surabaya’s sun is not the only thing that warmed their heart.
Pable and the weaver communities –organized by one of our beloved Pak Sodikin– welcomed the guests with our very best, offering them the experience of being a guest in one of the friendliest countries in the world. Tropical fruits and traditional snacks are laid out as banquets, a traditional drink called Jamu is also highlighted, and the warmth of the people are transpiring although sometimes barriered by language. Exclusive for the participants, we provided one corner for souvenirs, in case they wanted to say “I was away, but you were on my mind” to the people back home.
On their third day, the participants continued their trip to Bali, where they’re going to visit some of Pable’s friends too; Threads of Life, Sungai Watch, and Potato Head. To the participants; we hope you learn something new from this trip, or being reminded of the things we tend to forget; that everything is better when we walk hand in hand with nature.
