Govt Expands National Cosmetics Export Ecosystem

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Ministry of Trade is encouraging the strengthening of the national cosmetics industry ecosystem to enhance competitiveness and expand penetration into international markets. Director General of National Export Development at the Ministry of Trade, Fajarini Puntodewi, said strengthening the cosmetics export ecosystem covers various aspects ranging from financing, logistics, standardization, marketing, to brand development.

“The first target of this workshop is to build an ecosystem. Today, various stakeholders are present, ranging from financing, production, information, empowerment, to logistics. We will continue and evaluate this initial stage so that it can produce successful new exporters,” Puntodewi said while opening the workshop titled “Elevating Indonesian Cosmetics to the Global Stage” in Jakarta on Monday.

The hybrid workshop, organized together with the Indonesian Cosmetics Companies Association (Perkosmi) on May 25–26, 2026, was attended by more than 300 participants. Puntodewi explained that Indonesia’s beauty and personal care export sector has shown a positive trend, growing above the average global market growth rate. In 2025, the export value of the sector reached US$2.05 billion, an increase of 16.19 percent compared to the previous year.

Of that figure, Indonesian cosmetic products accounted for an 8.4 percent share, with export value reaching US$172 million, up 11.91 percent from the previous year. According to her, this achievement presents a major opportunity for Indonesia to strengthen national cosmetic exports, especially as the country has a large domestic market and abundant natural resources that can be utilized as raw materials for natural-based cosmetic products.

She also noted that Indonesia’s cultural heritage, such as traditional herbal medicine (jamu) and traditional body scrubs (lulur), has great potential to be developed into high value-added modern cosmetic products.

However, Puntodewi acknowledged that the global cosmetics industry faces intense competition, including challenges related to certification and product standardization. Therefore, she emphasized the importance of strengthening branding and building a strong identity for Indonesian cosmetic products in order to compete globally.

“Indonesia’s brand awareness must be recognized in the global market. We must build a strong Indonesian cosmetics identity by utilizing the natural and cultural wealth that we have,” she said.

Meanwhile, Perkosmi Chairman Sancoyo expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Trade’s support in strengthening the national cosmetics industry through the export workshop. According to him, Indonesia’s cosmetics industry has continued to show positive growth in recent years, with the domestic market value projected to reach US$10 billion.

He hopes that synergy between the government, associations, and business players can continue to be strengthened in order to produce more national cosmetic products capable of penetrating international markets. The workshop featured speakers from industry, banking, logistics, and Indonesian trade representatives abroad. Chief Operating Officer of PT HMNS, Amron Naibaho, presented material on product research and cosmetics market analysis, particularly regarding consumer trends and competition in the beauty industry.

In addition, Head of PC Social Capabilities and Growth Initiatives at Unilever Indonesia, Distya Tarworo Endri, discussed branding strategies and international marketing. From the export support sector, Transaction Banking Sales Team Head at Bank SMBC Indonesia, Stefi Rahmawati, explained export calculation and payment systems. Participants also received briefings on regulations and distribution of cosmetic products in international markets from Indonesian Trade Attaché in Kuala Lumpur, Aziza Rahmaniar Salam, and Head of the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center in Dubai, Widy Haryono.

Meanwhile, material related to export documentation and logistics management was delivered by Ngupit Logistik owner Arya Mabruri Nurfata. General Manager of PT Unicare Beauty Kosmetindo, Tri Tunggal, said the activity had increased the knowledge and understanding of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) regarding cosmetics exports.