Muslim spending on apparel in 2015 at $244 bln

Muslims worldwide spent around $244 billion on apparel last year, according to a report by a business platform specializing in what some call the Islamic economy – products and services favored by followers of the religion.

Some of the most significant spending from Muslim consumers what was the report, by Dubai-based platform Salaam Gateway, called “modest fashion.”

“Mainstream fashion is fairly saturated while modest fashion is turning into the mainstream,” the report, from Dubai-based firm Salaam Gateway, stated, adding that over 25 fashion houses, including Dolce and Gabbana and H&M had started to cater for consumers who prefer to cover up.

Modest fashion “represents a key sub-segment of Muslim spending on clothing, underpinned by Islamic religious obligations, with requirements for both men and women,” the report added.

Turkey was the top “Muslim clothing consumption market,” followed by the United Arab Emirates, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.