The implementation of mandatory halal certification in Indonesia has moved beyond the food and beverage sector. Following the regulatory phasing set by the Halal Product Assurance Organizing Agency (BPJPH), textile and textile product (TPT) goods are now being targeted for inclusion in the halal ecosystem. While the goal is to solidify Indonesia’s position as a global center for the sharia economy, the national textile industry’s current readiness is hitting a wall of complex structural realities.

From the upstream perspective, the Indonesian Fiber and Filament Yarn Producers Association (APSyFI) views this regulation as a significant administrative and operational challenge. APSyFI Chairman, Redma Gita Wirawasta, has repeatedly emphasized that the textile industry is already burdened by currency depreciation, soaring energy costs, and a flood of illegal imports. Imposing halal certification requirements on fiber and yarn—which inherently do not contain animal derivatives—is feared to become an additional cost that will further erode the thin margins of domestic producers. While strict oversight of auxiliary agents, such as lubricants or spinning oils, may be necessary, industry leaders hope the bureaucratic process will not undermine the competitiveness of a sector currently struggling to recover.

In the downstream sector, small-scale garment and convection businesses are facing technical hurdles regarding traceability. Nandi Herdiaman, Chairman of the Association of Creative Convection Entrepreneurs (IPKB), warns that the majority of Small and Medium Industries (IKM) in the garment sector rely heavily on accessible local raw materials. If local fabrics or yarns are required to be halal-certified while the upstream ecosystem is not yet fully prepared, the supply chain for these small businesses will be severely disrupted. For convection entrepreneurs, halal certification requires a deep technical understanding of raw materials, dyes, and washing processes—knowledge that has often not been effectively communicated to artisans at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, regarding the regulatory framework, industry players continue to urge the BPJPH and the Ministry of Industry to provide flexibility, incentives, and certification schemes that are efficient and affordable, or even free for small businesses. The industry argues that the essence of protecting the domestic market should not just be about product certification, but about how these regulatory instruments can filter the influx of finished apparel imports—particularly from China—that enter without regard for local standardization. Therefore, fair oversight is essential; the burden must not fall more heavily on local products while imported goods easily bypass these regulatory requirements.