Tourists join locals in breathing life to Brunei textile retail

OVER the last couple of months, sales of textile at Nazmi Textile Mall outlets have surged roughly 20 to 30 per cent with the Hari Raya season looming in the distance. Other textile retailers are citing similar sales increase figures. But what worth noting is that Nazmi Textile Mall has observed that two in every 10 buyers are foreigners visiting Brunei.

Nazmi Textile Mall, one of the earliest textile outlets to be established in the Sultanate, has seen customers coming in a month before Ramadhan started. Nazeer Ahmad, managing proprietor of Nazmi, told The Brunei Times yesterday that sales have increased since July and August by roughly 20 to 30 per cent.

"Most of the ladies like to buy material that can be embroidered when they go to the tailor. The medium to high-end range are popular, which include different types like organza, chiffon, French lace and Italian silk. These cost around $50 to $100," he said, adding that cheaper ones can be found around the $10 to $15 range. Mostly imported from Korea, Dubai and Italy, Nazeer said textiles in Brunei are sold at lower prices than in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

"Our market is very small, so we have to find the customers. So there's no other way but to lower the prices, and we also have tight competition here," he said. In earlier reports, The Brunei Times learned that Nazmi imports from textile companies where it has investments, allowing it to lower its prices.

"Twenty per cent of my customers are from abroad, from places like Sabah and Sarawak. Most of them say it's cheaper in Brunei than in Malaysia or Singapore," he said.

While the market is small, sales are brisk because of the upcoming festive season.

Noni Roslan, a 23-year-old government secondary school teacher, has spent $200 on textiles for two pieces of traditional clothing for Raya. "Tailoring will set me back approximately another $200," said the schoolteacher.

Masli Kahar, a Kuala Belait-based 38-year-old electrical technician and a father of four, has spent $300 in textiles and tailoring for his family.

"We had it done early this year, before puasa (fasting) started. I go for the more affordable ones as I'm paying for my wife and kids. We all get two each," said Masli.

Those with more exquisite tastes and a thirst for luxury goods go for the higher-end textiles and tailoring services. Junaina Bahrum, a legal advisor for a private company, has already spent roughly $350 on four types of textiles, matching tudongs and brooches alone. "Altogether with tailoring it may go up to $600, more or less," she said, adding that there is a tendency for Bruneian women to simplify the design when using more expensive textiles. "In other words, buying more expensive materials kind of subsidises the tailoring costs," she said.

Firoz Jaya Silkhouse, another popular textile retailer established six years ago, also recorded an estimated 30 per cent increase in textile sales during the festive season, said its managing director Firoz Khan.

"Textile sales, especially for women, start picking up before the fasting month, because during the fasting month some of the tailors do not want to accept orders anymore as they are already full.

"Once the fasting month starts, (sales of) sinjang, tudong, and cara melayu start picking up. With the festive season everybody wants to buy a new baju kurung or baju melayu, or new songkoks and sinjangs, so sales do increase as the season approaches," he said.

Firoz Jaya normally imports from South Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Dubai, and Singapore, but Tian Jin silk remains its customers' most popular choice.

"The price is very cheap compared to Brunei and Singapore. We're selling now at a promotional price at $6.30 per metre, but in Malaysia the same product is selling for RM$49 per metre (equivalent to $20)," he said.

"The Brunei market is very competitive, seeing that it is very small. It is probably the cheapest market for textiles now, regionally speaking. We do get a lot of Malaysian buyers coming here, from Miri and Sabah.

Yally Celeridad, textile operations manager for KoFom Textiles, said customers started pouring in as early as July. KoFom has four branches in Brunei and has a sister company, Hong Textiles.

"The trend for Brunei families is to buy the same material for all the members... so that's why most go for those with good value for money, the more affordable mid-range ones like Tian Jin silk, which goes for $16 per metre," she said. French silk can sell for as much as $59 per metre.

The Brunei Times