Sarawak launches first international textile festival celebrating craft heritage

KUCHING (Dec 6): Sarawak is set to host the inaugural Borneo International Textile Festival 2025 (BiTF 2025) from Dec 7 to 8,  marking a historic milestone for both the state and the island of Borneo.

Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the festival is the first international-scale event dedicated exclusively to celebrating the cultural heritage, artistic excellence and economic potential of textiles and weaving arts across Borneo and beyond.

“This inaugural festival represents a major step forward for Sarawak and the region,” he said at a press conference on Friday at Baitulmakmur 2.

Carrying the the ‘Weaving the Future: Connecting Cultures, Communities and Creative Industries’, the event reflects a commitment to revitalising traditional crafts within the modern creative economy.

A highlight of BiTF 2025 will be the Royal Keynote Address by Her Royal Highness Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, a well-known advocate for the preservation traditional textiles who inspires artisans in Malaysia and internationally.

The programme includes a high-level forum titled ‘Sustaining Heritage, Revitalising Traditional Textile Industries in the Modern Economy’, featuring speakers from the creative, financial and sustainability sectors, including Indonesia’s Didiet Maulana, CIMB Group’s Ismail Ani Arope and Sarawak Energy’s Hajah Siti Aisah Adenan.

BiTF 2025 will also showcase masterclasses in keringkam and batik, demonstrations of pua kumbu and songket weaving, fashion showcases by Unimas emerging designers, cultural performances, and engagement sessions with regional creatives.

To widen public participation, the International Textile Exposition will run at the Borneo Cultures Museum from Dec 7, 2025 to March 3, 2026, while conferences and masterclasses will take place at Pullman Kuching.

The ‘Sense of Malaysia’ programme, held on Dec 7 at Kuching International Airport, will unite heritage partners including Tun Jugah Foundation and Pink Jambu, featuring demonstrations of kek lapis, songket, pua kumbu and keringkam.

A Traditional Textile Exhibition at the Borneo Cultures Museum will also open on Dec 7, showcasing diverse textiles and embroidery traditions from institutions such as Yayasan Tenun Pahang Diraja, Kraftangan Malaysia, Yayasan Tun Jugah, Tanoti House and Society Atelier Sarawak.

The festival continues on Dec 8 at Juma’ani Pavilion, marking its third anniversary with showcases in upholstery, fashion technology and songket weaving, culminating in the Juma’ani Runway Collection by Pink Jambu.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tun Jugah Foundation and Pink Jambu will also be formalised.

Abdul Karim said BiTF 2025 will strengthen Sarawak’s position as a regional hub for sustainable textiles, cultural diplomacy, and creative collaboration.