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APR highlights commitment to sustainable modest fashion in MUFFEST 2022 collaboration
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(Photo: Asia Pacific Rayon)
S
ustainable viscose fiber producer Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) reaffirms its commitment to sustainable fashion in Indonesia’s rising Muslim fashion scene with its participation in the 2022 Muslim Fashion Festival (MUFFEST).
Held from April 21 to 23 at the Grand Ballroom, The Ritz Carlton Jakarta, Central Jakarta, MUFFEST 2022 marks APR’s fourth year participating in the annual fashion bonanza, currently in its seventh edition.
MUFFEST is one of the Indonesian Fashion Chamber’s (IFC) flagship programs aimed at promoting Indonesia as a global leader in Muslim fashion. This year, MUFFEST has branded itself as MUFFEST+, signifying its focus on the Muslim lifestyle.
APR Director Basrie Kamba said that the company is proud to be able to participate in MUFFEST+, as the event is in line with APR's commitment to contribute to revitalizing the Indonesian textile industry and increasing awareness about sustainable fashion.
“We also hope that our contribution can encourage the export of modest fashion and make Indonesia a mecca for the global Muslim fashion scene in line with the government's target," he said.
Basrie also noted the post-pandemic timing of MUFFEST+, saying that the idea of recovering together is a part of APR’s commitment to the industry and MSMEs.
“This year, we supported seven labels to create and innovate in the face of foreign brands, so that Indonesians will not remain only consumers.”
In a fashion show entitled “Sustainable Modest Fashion” on April 21, APR collaborated with seven members of the Indonesian Fashion Chamber (IFC): Gajah Duduk, Inen Signature, BT Batik Trusmi, Bajufuku, Gamaleea, IDE Indonesia and Aruna Creative & Nicolo.
The collaborative show featured 60 fashionable and sustainable looks made entirely from APR’s sustainable viscose-rayon fabric.
Inen Signature and IDE Indonesia highlighted the method of eco-printing in warm, earthy tones, with Inen Signature opting for ruffle detailing and IDE Indonesia using traditional tenun textiles.
Gamaleea also went for earth tones, albeit with a classic, understated twist. Meanwhile, Bajufuku combined monograms with batik, using the kawung pattern representing purity and longevity.
The Cirebon, West Java-based BT Batik Trusmi showcased the region’s mega mendung batik pattern, cut into dramatic, sweeping silhouettes that highlight the textile’s versatility.
Meanwhile, Aruna Creative & Nicolo utilized denim viscose as a base for its artisans, transforming what is normally seen as a heavy, masculine fabric into bonafide artworks by applying traditional batik methods to create truntum patterns.
Yuliana Fitri, owner and designer of Aruna Creative and Nicolo, expressed her commitment towards sustainable fashion due to Indonesia’s prominence in the global Muslim fashion scene.
“APR provided us with the opportunity to translate sustainability, not only in terms of textiles, but also in our ecosystem, which encourages support for vocational education, diffabled and women empowerment,” she said.
Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises Minister, Teten Masduki, said that aside from promoting Indonesia’s Muslim fashion industry, MUFFEST+ also connects various parties from MSMEs, designers, academics and associations, therefore creating an inviting ecosystem in the goal to make Indonesia a mecca for global Muslim fashion.
Muslim clothing consumption in Indonesia has reached $20 billion or equivalent to Rp 286.9 trillion annually with a growth rate of 18.2 percent.
According to The State of Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/2021, Indonesia is currently ranked third as the world's best Muslim fashion developer, which shows significant progress in the national Muslim fashion industry, as Indonesia ranked fifth in 2019.
"This shows that Indonesia has the potential to become the largest producer and trendsetter of halal products in the world," Teten said in his opening remarks.
IFC National Chairman Ali Charisma said that the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry has experienced a significant increase, which also offers a variety of local content that other countries do not have, especially in the sustainability trend.
“As a designer, the availability of sustainable raw materials originating from Indonesia and processed from upstream to downstream really helps us to create environmentally friendly fashion. We hope that APR's rayon products can be a solution for a more environmentally friendly future for the fashion industry," he said.
APR rayon fiber comes from renewable raw materials that are managed in a sustainable manner, as well as having the advantage of being biodegradable and easy to combine with other fibers. The company is able to produce 300,000 tons of rayon fiber annually to meet the demands of both domestic and global markets, with APR's products exported to 22 countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Brazil, as well as a number of European countries.
This article is joint collaboration with The Jakarta Post and APR.
