Ruang Hidup: A Collaboration to Keep Sustainability in Style | Asia Pacific Rayon Skip to main content

Most Jakartans have probably never spotted a pangolin or a kingfisher while hustling in the middle of the city’s concrete jungle. Trapped in our busy routines, we become so distant from the vast biodiversity of Indonesia’s lush forests, which reflect the true beauty of nature.

This is the reason why Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) teamed up with fashion label Imaji Studio to create a collection inspired by the biodiversity of the Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) area on the Kampar Peninsula, Riau Province.

RER is the largest tropical peat forest restoration program in Sumatra, initiated by APR’s integrated supply partner, APRIL Group. Imaji Studio drew inspiration from the project in the “Jenggala” pajamas loungewear collection, with motifs inspired by pangolins, kingfishers, and the landscape itself.

imaji studio x asia pacific rayon

The pieces are on display until the end of October 2021 as part of the brand’s “Ruang Hidup” exhibition at Jakarta Fashion Hub.

Put a value on nature with fashion

The pieces are dyed using traditional ingredients from plants native to Indonesia, and printed on APR’s biodegradable viscose rayon fabric.

When looking at the collection, you may not believe that Imaji did natural coloring for every piece. Take the motif inspired the Kampar Peninsula for example. Imaji dyed the viscose rayon by mixing blue from indigo leaves, yellow from mango leaves, and using chalk to separate the two. They then added the green, airbrushed on the negative space.

While the motif portraying Pangolin, which represents strength and adaptiveness, was created with a stamp tool to make the pattern of the pangolin scales, then naturally dyed with sappan wood as the main colorant and catappa leaves for the grey color.

As for the depiction of Kingfisher as a symbol of peace, promise, prosperity and love, Imaji used a mix of indigo and mango leaves to create a tosca shade which was applied with an airbrush, then added red and yellow details on the silhouette of the bird by hand.

Every piece was made with sustainable and ethical fashion in mind.

“Through this exhibition, we hope that the country’s fashion industry can continue to advance even though it feels the impact in the midst of a pandemic. We encourage the fashion industry to continue to be creative and to better understand and apply sustainable and ethical fashion, not only in producing collections but also in daily life as a more responsible fashion enthusiast,” said Sheila Rahmat, APR’s Head of Marketing Communications.

“Protecting the forest and its majestic animals is one of the key aspects of RER’s ecosystem restoration efforts. But it’s not an easy task. With this collaboration, we hope we can raise more public awareness on Indonesia’s biodiversity, and work together in protecting it,” said Nyoman Iswarayoga, Director of External Affairs at RER.

The “Ruang Hidup” collaboration is not only about fashion. Spatial Designer Adri Pradipta contributed by designing installations depicting spaces such as a bedroom, a reading room and a living room, with furniture wrapped in naturally dyed viscose-fibre.

The APR x Imaji Studio collaboration is not only an exhibition – the pieces are also on sale either at Jakarta Fashion Hub or via the Imaji Studio website.

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