How Islamic is the business of modest fashion?
Photo: The 2013 Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh killed over 1,100 garment workers and cast a shadow over the ethics of the business of the clothing and fashion industry / Dhaka Savar Building Collapse by Jaber Al Nahlan is licensed under CC by 2.0
As a concept, ‘Islamic fashion’ is still in development, but the way the industry is managed has already been put under the spotlight. Key players are examining their supply chains to find ways to better meet Islamic codes related to doing business.
In 2011, when Kerim Türe launched the modest fashion retailer Modanisa.com, he had to pay cash to get their first line of clothing made according to Islamic specifications.
“It was summertime and everyone was going with short sleeves and miniskirts,” he told Salaam Gateway. “We convinced mainstream people to produce [clothing] based on the rules of Islam. We paid cash to produce the stuff; we took the risk. They had to change their production line to cater to the needs of modest fashion.”
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Shalini Seth