WHAT started as a small initiative to reduce waste in 2016 has turned into a creative upcycling business for local artisan Lee Li Ghien.
Driven by a passion for environmental sustainability, the 46-year-old transforms discarded items into functional artistic pieces for her venture in Ipoh, Perak.
Her creations range from fridge magnets and plaques made from papier-mache to vases crafted from various types of bottles.
Lee also incorporates sculpting in her stationery containers and mirrors.
“I’ve always found it hard to throw things away.
“I used to collect bottles and tried to paint them, but I wasn’t satisfied.
“I wanted to give them new life, and that’s how I came up with the idea of turning them into something functional,” Lee said when met at her stall within memorabilia museum Time Tunnel Ipoh on Jalan Panglima.
Lee said the process of creating a single fridge magnet from recyclable materials involved soaking cardboard, reshaping it with papier-mache techniques and letting it dry under the sun for one to three days, depending on the thickness.
She would then paint and shape them into designs.
“Nature is my inspiration for the crafts, as I’ve made fridge magnets that are shaped like Ipoh’s iconic limestone hills, Rafflesia flowers and tapirs as well as vases with seahorse designs.
“I use everyday items like cardboard boxes from parcels and drink cans to make something unique.”
She even made earrings from drink cans.
“Sauce bottles, a staple in every Malaysian kitchen, can be turned into a vase with added character,” said Lee, adding that she would also paint her creations in turquoise and rustic gold colours to achieve a fossil-like appearance.
Chinese tourist Inga Wang was spotted at Lee’s stall, buying a fish-shaped fridge magnet and a whisky bottle repurposed as a vase with a seahorse design.
“The colours really caught my eye, and I love the idea of using upcycled materials.
“I’ve tried making things from recyclable items before, but it’s so difficult.
“These pieces truly appeal to me,” said Wang, 46.
At another stall, Leong Chai Yuen, 51, said turning discarded batik fabric into functional products had become both a creative outlet and therapeutic journey for her.
Leong, who sells handmade batik shopping bags, bookmarks and brooches, said she got into the business at first by making plush toys.
“I had a lot of leftover fabric. Instead of throwing them away, I thought of creating something useful, like shopping bags and bookmarks,” she said.
A former sales and marketing professional in the hotel and property development industry, Leong said she took six months away from work to explore her creative side.
“This journey has been therapeutic for me,” she said.
