Market demand of clothing in Malaysia 2011-2018
Boom in modest fashion
In 2015, Muslim women globally spent 44 billion U.S. dollars on modest wear - clothing that is contemporary and fashionable, while still meeting the religious requirements for Muslim women. With 61 percent of its population as of 2018 being Muslim, Malaysia is one of the biggest markets for modest fashion, not only as consumers and importers, but also as exporters. In 2017, Malaysia’s halal-conforming clothing exports to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries amounted to 0.37 percent of all apparel exports there. While this is a modest share, the rise of homegrown Malaysian modest wear designers, many of whom have showcased on renowned catwalks such as the London Fashion Week, helps to contribute to a positive outlook for the Malaysian clothing market.