TANGERANG, 19 October 2023 – In accordance with the government’s vision to make Indonesia a Muslim fashion hub, viscose-rayon fibre producer Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) strengthened its commitment to supporting the development of sustainable modest fashion through its participation in Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week (JMFW) 2024.
For the occasion, APR and the Riau chapter of the Indonesian Textile Association (API), partnered with 6 fashion designers and 6 batik artisans from Riau to present a modest fashion collection inspired by wastra, the distinctive Riau Malay traditional woven cloth with the theme “Sajak di atas Ombak” or Ode to the Waves inspired by the Bono tidal bore that only occurs in Kampar River, Riau Province.
The wastra is dyed to create motifs inspired by the natural wonders of Kampar River such as the Bono tidal bore, watermelon leaf, Kampar River, arowana fish, fern shoot and swinging star. The entire collection is made using APR’s viscose-rayon fabrics that are derived from renewable and biodegradable materials to support sustainable fashion.
Although they bore the hallmarks of traditional motifs and techniques, the 24 ready-to-wear fashion pieces presented at the JMFW were a fusion of traditional and contemporary styles. The collection was a perfect interpretation of traditional weaving by Batik Yus Pelalawan x ANFIHA, Batik Seruni Dayun x Neeka, Batik Bono x LILCLO, Batik Seikijang x Lailiimra, Batik Nagori x Sakinah by Thiffa Qhaisty, and Batik K’loso x ISAS, all of them members of API Riau. The collection was shown on the second day of the JMFW fashion show held on 19 October 2023 at ICE BSD, Tangerang.
“Through this collaboration, we want to show that Riau has tremendous potential to support Indonesia as the world’s modest fashion centre, supported by the creativity of designers and the distinctive wastras, its huge market potential because of its Malay ancestry and the proximity to neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam,” said Basrie Kamba, President Director of APR.
The collaboration was the result of a training programme called Kelas Berbagi, which was initiated by API Riau and supported by APR. The Sharing Class has been held since January 2023 and aims to help fashion SMEs and local designers stay on top of current trends and compete in different markets.
One of the Sharing Classes organised by API Riau with the topic “Enriching Your Design Using Traditional Wastra” featured Ion Akhmad, fashion consultant and co- founder of Luxina.id. Ion is also a curator and mentor to trainees who wanted to showcase their work on the JMFW 2024 runway. The collaborative collection of fashion designers and batik artisans from Riau was selected for participation at JMFW after a rigorous process.
“This is not only a challenge but also an opportunity for batik artisans and designers to incorporate traditional elements into a contemporary format to blur the ethnic elements, thus creating favourable works that keep up with trends,” said Ion Akhmad, curator and co-founder of Luxina.id.
APR’s collaboration with designers and local batik artisans was also in accordance with the APR2030 sustainability commitment to supporting the making of Riau as a textile hub in Indonesia and helping revitalise Indonesia’s traditional textile crafts. One way to do it is by providing access to women and young people in Riau to develop fashion skills as well as supporting the growth of MSMEs.
“APR not only gives local artisans the opportunity to work at the national level but also increases the value of our products through the use of APR’s sustainable viscose and through the training sessions provided by API Riau over the years,” said Batik Bono artisan Siti Nurbaya.
JMFW, a prestigious event held since 2021, aims to make Indonesia the centre of the world’s modest fashion. With the theme “Discover Indonesian Modest Fashion Excellence”, JMFW 2024 presented more than 144 designers who showcased more than 1,000 fashion pieces, academics, and international fashion collaborations.
About Asia Pacific Rayon
Asia Pacific Rayon is the first fully integrated viscose-rayon producer in Asia from renewable forest plantation to rayon fiber. The 300,000-ton plant, located in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, uses the latest production technology to produce high-quality rayon for textile and personal hygiene products. APR is committed to becoming a leading viscose-rayon producer that is ethical, transparent and operationally efficient, serves the interests of the community and country, and delivers value to customers.
Contact
Djarot Handoko
Head of Corporate Affairs, Asia Pacific Rayon
djarot_handoko@aprayon.com
