It may have traditionally leaned more towards the food industry, but the global halal market is no longer just about restaurant dishes and supermarket items. Halal-friendly products range from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, and clothing to hospitality.
According to the World Halal Summit this year, the global halal market is said to be worth $2 trillion (Dh7.34 trillion), and companies are only beginning to scratch the surface. With an average annual growth rate of 1.5 per cent, it is projected that Muslims will make up 26.4 per cent of the world’s total projected population of 8.3 billion in 2030. According to the CIA World Factbook, Muslims made up 23 per cent of the world’s 7.1 billion people last year.
Given that halal products often have wider appeal, there’re no restrictions on who halal companies can serve; they can cater to the world’s remaining 5.5 billion consumers as well — particularly in terms of fashion and cosmetics.
Apparel
More women are looking for modest fashion. In a recent survey by online retailer Abaya Addict, 70 per cent of respondents (of different faiths) said that they found it difficult to find modest clothing that’s fashionable. But it’s not just about modesty; halal fashion can also encompass eco-friendliness and sustainability factors.
It’s a huge market to tap into. Esmod Dubai, a French fashion institute, estimates that the global Muslim fashion industry would be worth $96 billion if half of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims spend just $120 a year on clothing.
So Rami Al Malak, founder of e-commerce start-up, Miella, is most probably on to a winner.“Three years ago I noticed a common narrative among women who wear modest clothing,” he tells GN Focus. “To put together a single ensemble, you need to buy four-to-five pieces from four-to-five stores. This layering process no longer makes for a pleasant shopping experience — it’s more of a chore.
“Shopping becomes even more of an issue during the spring/summer season when high-street fashion brands roll out summer collections that are made up of short skirts, sleeveless shirts and sheer materials. So I realised that the pain points facing [Muslim] women around the world are real and, more importantly, they are not being credibly addressed.”
Launched last month, Miella sells a range of fashionable tops, trousers, skirts and more and has already received support from the community, most notably Alia Khan, founder of the Islamic Fashion Design Council. “We’ve been humbled by the support of wonderful people like Alia, as she truly embodies the modern Muslim woman,” says Al Malak. “[Plus,] one of our investors is a successful entrepreneur in Jordan, a fashionable hijabi [female who wears the headscarf] who always struggled with her wardrobe, so Miella really struck a chord with her.”
And the Dubai-based founder is positive about growth in the industry. “One in four human beings on this earth are Muslim… As a result of that, a global Islamic economy will continue to grow,” he says. “His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had the vision of establishing the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre in order to position the emirate as the global capital of that economy through the development of seven pillars, one of which includes Islamic fashion. So it is with a great deal of pride that we find ourselves aligned with this initiative.”
Travel
From airlines that offer halal food to hotels that are Muslim-friendly, the travel and hospitality sector is beginning to fully embrace the market. According to the most recent Muslim Traveller Index Europe, the halal tourism sector is worth around €103 billion (Dh416 billion), which represents around 13 per cent of global travel expenditures. The index predicts that this figure is expected to reach €141 billion by the year 2020.
Due to their halal offerings, countries such as Turkey and Malaysia are extremely popular with travellers, particularly those from the GCC. But halal tourism is also on the rise in predominantly non-Muslim countries. During last year’s Halal Tourism Conference, it emerged that Japan is boosting efforts to offer Muslim-friendly options as the number of visitors from Malaysia increases, while France is offering fully halal holiday packages to accommodate its Muslim citizens.
It was only a matter of time before a halal-friendly search engine was introduced. Enters the aptly titled HalalTrip, the brainchild of Singapore-based entrepreneur Fazal Bahardeen. “The objective of the platform is to make place discovery and trip planning easier, fun and more intuitive for those looking for a halal-friendly travel experience,” he explains. “You will find everything required to satisfy the criteria for a traveller and a Muslim’s beliefs, including city and airport guides [as wells as] halal restaurant listings and mosque locations.”
Bahardeen — who was recently in Dubai to exhibit at the Arabian Travel Market — adds that other features of the app include the world’s first in-flight prayer time calculator, which allows Muslims to work out prayer times and directions instantly while they are on the plane. There’s also a halal food spotting function, where users can recommend restaurants to other travellers. “The Muslim market is growing and the need for products to service it has created a rise of halal entrepreneurs,” he says.
“Embracing new technology to innovate and enhance the experience of Muslim travellers is a key ongoing focus for the company as the halal tourism sector becomes more sophisticated and smartphone-savvy.”
Health
While halal pharmaceuticals are commonplace, another market being tapped into is that of health and wellness.
One entrepreneur making a name for himself is Nader Sabry, Founder and Creator of Timez5, the world’s first National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa)-approved prayer mat. “Timez5 is the world’s first physiological prayer mat. The components are derived from space technology and designed with precision, successfully helping people with knee and joint pain, fatigue, body stiffness and low energy,” he tells GN Focus. Canadian-Egyptian Sabry goes on to explain that the idea came about after seeing an elderly man struggle with the movements associated with daily prayer.“After conducting years of research, we discovered that many Muslims suffer knee pains and joint problems, which prevent them from performing their prayers,” he says. “Finally, I was able to create a product to help the Muslim elderly in their worship; however, it also supports many other groups: from desk-based employees to athletes in their post injury rehabilitation.”
Shortly afterwards, Nasa heard about the type of technology the company was using and later approved it. “The Timez5 prayer mat uses space technology originally used in Nasa astronaut suits,” he says. “The technology is an antimicrobial coating, a layer used to protect astronauts from dust, fungi, bacteria and other forms of harmful microbes.” So popular is the product that Sabry even won the Halal Travel award, presented by Shaikh Mohammad at the Global Islamic Economy Summit.
