KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — Who would have thought that worn curtains, old bedsheets, and used leather bags could be transformed into elegant fashion designs and showcased on the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) 2025 runway?
What seemed impossible was brought to life by three young designers — Salahuddin Hilmi, Mei Mei, and Raja Muhammad Irfan Raja Muhammad Reduan, also known as Raja Irfan — through nearly 30 unique creations in the AirAsia Presents Design to Sustain segment, a creative exploration using upcycled materials.
For Salahuddin Hilmi, limited fabric options were not an excuse to compromise his artistic vision in his Intersect collection, which highlights themes of light, shadow, and movement through 10 distinctive pieces.
“My materials were sourced from a textile recycling centre. When I got there, I had to immediately decide which textiles could be used. Many original ideas had to be changed after seeing the actual materials, but that challenge made me more creative,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.
The holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design from Management and Science University believes that creativity in fashion should not be limited to new fabrics but requires courage to create something fresh from existing resources.
Aware of the pollution issue and the alarming increase in textile waste, the Kedah-born designer hopes his work will raise public awareness about the value and potential of upcycled materials.
Meanwhile, Raja Irfan showcased The First Light collection, conveying the message that something once discarded can be given new life for sustainability and a more responsible future.
The 26-year-old designer used various materials from “bundle” shops such as decorative curtains, old knitted blankets, and used nylon jackets. One of his main challenges was to create flower petals from nylon jackets, which had to be manually cut one by one and painted with gold fabric paint to add a sophisticated element.
Admitting that the process required more precision and patience compared to using new fabrics, the Universiti Teknologi Mara graduate is confident that upcycled fabrics can produce garments that look new, sophisticated, and aligned with the intended aesthetic values.
“Sustainability is not just about saving the earth. It’s about learning to appreciate every material we have,” he said, sharing that this was his first collection made from upcycled materials.
The sustainable fashion movement has also attracted industry players like AirAsia, which presented a new cabin crew uniform collection using up to 40 per cent recycled fabric, including textiles from the company’s old uniforms. This step marks their effort toward more responsible corporate design.
As the first fashion show to feature a uniform collection on the KLFW stage, the segment also introduced new handbags made from recycled materials. The new uniforms will be rolled out gradually starting this month, involving 4,500 crew members.
AirAsia Cabin Crew Group Head, Suhaila Hassan, said the initiative ensures that the uniforms are not only comfortable and practical but also environmentally friendly.
“The selection of recycled materials and collaboration with partners who prioritise environmental and social principles demonstrate that we continue to make progress in many ways,” she said. — Bernama
