Mohd Hafzan (with black songkok) carrying boxes of completed songkok ready to be sold. — Photos: Bernama
Driven by a passion for environmental sustainability and cultural preservation, a Sabak Bernam entrepreneur has introduced the concept of recycling old and damaged songkok (traditional Malay headwear).
Mohd Hafzan Sardi, 37, founder of the Songkok Malaya brand that specialises in traditional songkok making, first introduced the concept with a two-month campaign last October.
To his surpise, it received overwhelming support from the public.
“I was inspired to start this recycling campaign through my work in water resource management, particularly in river conservation and preservation campaigns in Selangor.
“That indirectly taught me about optimising resources,” said the former engineer.
“For example, cardboard and newspapers used as base materials in songkok making are not simply discarded.
“We can sort and turn them into compost or collect them with other materials before sending them to recycling centres,” he told Bernama.
The initiative, promoted by the brand on social media, led to the collection of nearly 200 old and damaged songkok.
Customers who exchanged their used headwear then received discounts on new ones.
“The market price for our premium traditional songkok, which is made entirely from fabric, ranges between RM50 and RM90, depending on the size.
“For children, the price is RM35,” said Mohd Hafzan.
A Songkok Malaya worker attaches velvet fabric to the top section of a songkok as part of the production process.
“However, when customers exchange their old, worn-out or damaged songkok of any brand with ours, we offer our songkok from as low as RM25, while children’s songkok are priced at RM12.90.
“The price also varies based on the type and design chosen.”
Encouraged by the strong public response, Mohd Hafzan has planned to run a second round of the campaign this November, although manpower constraints would be a challenge.
The company currently has five staff, including two tailors.
Reflecting on his journey in business as the chief executive officer for Malaya Revolution Sdn Bhd, Mohd Hafzan said his participation in innovation competitions while working at a Selangor water-related agency inspired him to develop a durable and washable songkok.
“Traditionally, a songkok is made from cardboard or newspaper, which can be easily damaged when washed.
“However, through continuous research from 2018 to 2020, we replaced these materials with a more flexible fabric, that makes our songkok machine-washable without losing the shape.
“After that, I began selling on a small scale.
“In 2021, I joined the Bumiputra Entrepreneurs Startup Scheme under the Bumiputra Agenda Steering Unit, where I was fortunate to receive a RM500,000 grant, which became a turning point in expanding my business.”
Today, Songkok Malaya produces several products, including traditional ones inspired by designs from Johor and Brunei, as well as custom-made ones.
The brand has branches in Shah Alam, Selangor, as well as Marang, Terengganu, and distributes songkok all over the country.
It also supplies products like traditional Malay attire accessories such as brooches, tanjak (traditional Malay headdress) and samping (waistcloth) for cultural events and festive occasions.
The brand received several accolades including the Malaysia Design Award 2023, the Selangor Innovation Award 2022 and a gold medal at the International Innovation and Invention Competition through Exhibition 2022.
Songkok Malaya was also selected for the Graduate Entrepreneur Advanced Programme under the Selangor State Development Corporation, a nine-month mentorship initiative that began last month.
Mohd Hafzan expressed hoped more youths would step up to preserve heritage through innovation and keep traditional crafts alive.
