Famiza Zulkifli made her first halal soap four years ago, after searching in vain for the right products to bathe her baby. Now her business has an annual turnover of US$1.6 million.
"Halal is an issue for Muslims. At the end of the day, everyone will die and God will ask you what have you done," said the Malaysian singer-turned-entrepreneur.
Famiza, who unusually for a Malaysian woman wears the black niqab that only reveals her eyes, now exports dozens of top-to-toe beauty products to Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand and Brunei.
The concept of halal, which means "permissible" in Arabic, is mainly applied to food. Pork and its by-products, animals not slaughtered according to Koranic procedures and alcohol are all "haram" or forbidden.
But manufacturers are cashing in on the concept that virtually all goods and services can be certified halal, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, clothing, financial services and even tour packages.
Like their conventional counterparts, halal cosmetics, including lipstick, deodorant and alcohol-free perfume, can contain animal ingredients but they must be prepared according to Islamic codes on slaughter and preparation.
"Even the small amount of collagen in our night cream is derived from halal sheep raised at a Muslim-run farm in Australia," said Famiza, adding that she plans to expand her business from Southeast Asia to Europe next year.
Nearly a quarter of the world's population are Muslims and the global halal business, estimated by a Malaysian research company to be worth US$635 billion a year, has expanded from Islamic countries to Western nations with growing Muslim populations.
Source: AFP
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