Weaving Success: How Kasih Co-op Scaled from Local Markets to Global Retail
Ivana Darmawan, small business leader and owner of Kasih Co-op, posing with her artisanal batik bandanas and scarves
In a retail landscape increasingly dominated by fast fashion and automated production, Ivana Darmawan is proving that traditional craftsmanship still has a powerful place in the modern market.
Ivana is the founder of Kasih Co-op, a Los Angeles-based business with a soul deeply rooted in Indonesia. Her company produces artisanal batik bandanas, scarves, and robes, selling a story of heritage, resilience, and the Indonesian concept of Kasih, which translates simply to "love" or "care."
For Kasih Co-op products check out their website: https://www.kasihcoop.com/
Ivana’s journey from a solopreneur passionate about her culture to a business owner managing nearly 200 retail partners wasn’t a straight line. It required grit, a willingness to pivot, and the right small business support system to turn a passion project into a scalable engine for economic justice.
A Legacy of Resilience in Entrepreneurship
Ivana’s entrepreneurial spirit is hereditary. Growing up in Indonesia, she watched her mother navigate the business world of the 1990s, a time and place where female founders faced immense hurdles.
"My mom is still a business owner," Ivana shares. "She always instilled in me the value of having your own business and helping other people through the employment she creates."
Inspired by her mother’s tenacity, Ivana launched Kasih Co-op in 2012. Like many women entrepreneurs, she faced early stagnation. Initially selling jewelry, she struggled to find the right product-market fit. After a pause, she relaunched in 2018 with a focus on textiles, specifically Ikat weaving.
Then came the global pivot of 2020. Recognizing that tightly woven batik cotton was ideal for face masks, Ivana shifted gears. It was a move that saved the business during the pandemic, but she knew masks were temporary. She needed a product with longevity, something that honored the craft but appealed to a global audience.
The answer lay in bandanas and scarves.
The Challenge: Moving From Artisan to CEO
Despite finding the right product, Ivana faced a classic hurdle in scaling a small business: she was doing everything herself.
"I was a solopreneur doing my own marketing, social media, and bookkeeping," Ivana recalls. "I wanted to see and get help."
To break through that ceiling, she joined the EMI LEEAF Program.
For Ivana, the program became a practical toolkit for operational maturity. She credits the program with helping her shift her mindset from an artisan to a CEO. Through LEEAF’s specialized modules on marketing and finance, she learned to structure Kasih Co-op like a franchise by building systems that could function without her hand in every single task.
"The growth has forced me to try to run my business like a business, and not just relying on myself," she says. "It forced me to step out of my comfort zone and try to delegate more."
The program’s impact was immediate. The marketing modules helped her refine her social media strategy, turning sporadic posts into a consistent narrative that drove sales. The finance training gave her the confidence to look at her numbers not just as historical data, but as a roadmap for future expansion.
Scaling Impact While Preserving Culture
The results of this strategic shift speak for themselves. In May 2025, Kasih Co-op celebrated hitting 100 retail partners. Just five months later, that number has nearly doubled to +220 stores across the US, Europe, and Canada with Japan soon to be added to their list. Check out Kasih Co-op’s Bandana in Nordstrom! And in August 2025, Kashi Co-op announced their first successful tradeshow with Shoppe Object under Global Artisan Project!
But for Ivana, growth isn't just about revenue; it’s about cultural preservation.
Authentic Batik is a labor-intensive art form involving hot wax stamping and hand-dyeing. It is currently under threat from cheaper, printed knockoffs that mimic the look without the soul or the skill. By scaling her business effectively, Ivana is providing a vital economic lifeline to traditional artisans in Indonesia, over 88% of whom are women-owned businesses.
"There are challenges where [people] copy the pattern but just use a printer because it's much cheaper," Ivana explains. "I want to make sure the traditional batik fabric making is preserved."
Building Credibility in the Marketplace
One of the critical benefits of the program was the credibility it offered. In an online marketplace where trust is currency, being a vetted participant of a recognized non-profit business accelerator gave Kasih Co-op a badge of legitimacy that put wholesale buyers at ease.
"When people want to buy something online... there's always a little nervousness," Ivana admits. "Having that credibility, that we are part of the LEEAF Program, definitely helps build trust."
The Future of Kasih Co-op
Today, Ivana is looking toward the future with clarity. She is no longer just "trying to figure it out." She is analyzing data, interviewing third-party logistics partners to outsource fulfillment, and planning her next 100 stores.
Her advice to other entrepreneurs entering the program?
"Find something that you're passionate about," she says. "If you're passionate about it, you want to keep on going... because entrepreneurship is not easy."
We are incredibly proud to have played a part in Kasih Co-op's story. Ivana’s success is a testament to what happens when deep cultural passion meets the right business infrastructure. She isn’t just selling scarves; she’s weaving a future where tradition and innovation thrive together.
Every entrepreneurial journey is unique and Ivana found the support she needed to take the next step. Get in touch with our Growth Facilitators to see how our community empowers business owners to navigate their own paths to growth.
