Promoting the Idea of Upcycling Used Shirts, the RB Nusantara Team Wins 2nd Place in the 2025 FEB UGM Business Pre-Incubation Programme
Five students from the Management Study Programme at FEB UGM successfully turned the issue of textile waste into a business opportunity through the idea of upcycling thrift shirts. This initiative aims to reduce clothing waste while adding value to used shirts by transforming them into new, more valuable products.
This business idea led Akbar Helmi Satryandira, Zongger Zollander Fermuda Hopuntius, Muhammad Bagus Nardika Putra, Alfida’ Imaduddin Jamilurohman Abiyyi, and Beryl Nur Hernanto, who are members of the RB Nusantara team, to win second place in the YES! X CSDU FEB UGM 2025 business pre-incubation programme. For this achievement, they received Rp10,000,000 in funding for business development.
Akbar explained that their upcycling process restores thrifted shirts to enhance their quality and appearance. They then add batik accents to various parts of the shirts, including the plackets, giving each piece a distinctive touch infused with Indonesian cultural elements.
He explained that the team developed this business idea out of their concern about the growing volume of textile waste in Indonesia. They also drew inspiration from similar practices implemented in several other countries, which they believed could be adapted effectively to the local context.
In the future, they plan to realise this business idea. The first steps will be to procure raw materials and develop key production indicators (KPIs). They will also allocate the development funds for product research and development, as well as for purchasing additional raw materials.
Akbar acknowledged that achieving success in the YES! X CSDU FEB UGM 2025 business pre-incubation programme was not easy. The team faced challenges ranging from coordinating schedules between members to making significant revisions to the business idea after the first pitching test. Nevertheless, participating in this programme left a deep impression, especially during the live pitching session.
“Even though we didn’t win first place, we are delighted because all our hard work has finally paid off,” he said.
In addition, FEB UGM also provided support by facilitating meetings between RB Nusantara and several well-known entrepreneurs. Through these meetings, the RB Nusantara team was able to refine their business ideas more thoroughly and effectively before the final pitching stage.
Reportage by: Najwah Ariella Puteri
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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