Graze Market founder and chief executive officer Clara Wan.
Turning trash to treasure
WITH the world generating 2.24 billion tonnes of solid waste annually—38,000 tonnes daily in Malaysia alone—a new wave of entrepreneurs is turning trash into treasure.
The Department of National Solid Waste Management reported only 33% of Malaysia’s waste recycled (JPSPN, 2023) and with landfills nearing capacity, these innovators address an urgent truth: while eliminating waste entirely is impossible, redesigning our relationship with it is critical.
This month, we spotlight two trailblazers leading the charge.
Ready-to-use: Graze Market turns surplus ingredients into delicious and easy to use sauces.
Upcycle4better
Confronted with Malaysia’s mounting crisis of discarded textiles, Upcycle4better was founded on the belief that every fabric has a second chance.
The founders, combining experience in sustainable design with an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, launched the company with a vision to rescue forgotten textiles from the waste stream.
Through their many collection bins around Malaysia, working closely with communities and organising fabric donation events, they amass a diverse assortment of unwanted fabrics.
Upcycle4better’s denim briefcase, made from repurposed fabric, is a versatile accessory for those who appreciate fashion and sustainability.
Every collected piece is carefully sorted and transformed into a new, high-quality product—be it fun denim bags, handwoven cotton rugs or even pet beds.
This meticulous process has allowed Upcycle4better to craft items that carry a unique story of rebirth and resourcefulness, breathing in new life to these fabric fibres.
The enterprise not only mitigates the impact of textile waste on the environment but also fosters regional collaboration and community engagement.
Graze Market
Founded in 2019, Graze Market confronts Malaysia’s food waste crisis with a simple but impactful model: rescue imperfect produce rejected by supermarkets (crooked cucumbers, undersized eggplants) deemed “too ugly” for shelves and redistributing it at discounted prices. Their Ara Damansara store and Graze Box subscription service have saved 200 tonnes of food from landfills, provided affordable nutrition to over 10,000 B40 beneficiaries and created jobs for marginalised workers.
An eco-friendly, comfortable upcycled pet bed.
The enterprise completes the sustainability loop through their Graze Eatery cafe (transforming surplus into meals) and returns scraps for a composting programme with partner farms.
Their model proves that sustainability can be both scalable and humane, bridging the gap between environmental action and redirecting surplus to those in need.
