BIFF 2026 Spotlights East Kalimantan Wastra on World Stage
- 05 Okt 2026 22:26 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
- Borneo International Fashion Festival (BIFF) 2026 showcased East Kalimantan's traditional 'wastra' alongside designs by creators from Bali and Melbourne, Australia.
- The international collaboration aims to introduce East Kalimantan's 'wastra' to the global market, particularly Melbourne.
RRI.CO.ID, Samarinda - The allure of East Kalimantan’s wastra, traditional Indonesian textiles, crossed regional boundaries when it took center stage in a collaborative showcase featuring designers from across Indonesia and abroad at the 2026 Borneo International Fashion Festival (BIFF).
Held at Pendopo Odah Etam in Samarinda, the fashion event brought together the elegance of local traditional fabrics and the creative touches of designers from Bali and Melbourne, Australia.
Executive Chairperson of the East Kalimantan chapter of the National Crafts Council (Dekranasda), Heny Purwaningsih, stated that the participation of vocational high school students in BIFF 2026 supports local creative industries. She emphasized that this step is part of an effort to sustainably develop an ecosystem for the region’s leading wastra and craft sectors.
“Going forward, BIFF aims to build an ecosystem to develop East Kalimantan’s leading wastra and craft industries. Our focus is on regeneration and creating drivers of the regional economy,” Heny said in Samarinda on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, as quoted by Antara.
She said vocational students showed significant potential in the fashion sector, adding that the quality of their designs was capable of competing with those produced by experienced artisans.
Through the annual event, Dekranasda is committed to providing a platform for local creative products to reach national and international markets. The festival, held from Oct. 3 to 4, brought together designers; artisans; micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) actors; and vocational high schools.
On the second day of the event on Sunday, October 4, the fashion show was divided into two sessions. The first featured works by fashion-design students from vocational high schools and invited designers from Bali, while the evening session showcased designers from Bali, East Kalimantan and Melbourne.
BIFF 2026 Project Director Anas Maghfur said the international collaboration was aimed at introducing East Kalimantan’s wastra to the global stage, particularly by targeting the Melbourne market.
“The point is for the industries or products to be sold there, enabling us to engage in exports and imports. We hope this collaboration can continue in the future,” said Anas. ***
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