The clothing and textile industry is the second biggest polluter in the world, according to Forbes. Clothes are a necessity, but many of us contribute to the waste unknowingly by purchasing more than we need.
The team behind Kain Movement
A team of young people aim to make a change by empowering women in the B40 group to upcycle old fabrics into new, functional items like bags and scarves. Called Kain Movement (@kainmovement on Instagram), the said team consists of Janice Chai, Paul Birly, Yee Luan, Benjemen Wong, and Amirrudin Ismail. The enthusiastic group, aged between 20-26, were brought together by their shared interest in tackling social issues.
Nik Suzila of Kloth Cares
Amiruddin Ismail said they were collecting unwanted fabrics from various sources like garment factories and corporate bodies all over the country to be upcycled into certain products, depending on the type of material.
Conceptualised about two months ago, they are still new and in the production phase but already have many things lined up for the future. When asked how this project is being funded, Yee Luan explained that the team won a seed funding of RM900 during their pitch at the Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) 2019 workshop, which will be used to fund their pilot project. They are, however, still open to receiving funds to carry out their plans for the next few months. Kain Movement successfully organised their first sewing workshop in partnership with Sew X Dignity for the B40 women. After the workshop, the women then sew from home. One of their own team members is also trained in tailoring and fabric cutting, making this a low-cost and self-sustaining project. Their finished products will then be sold on social media and pop up booths. They are also looking at reaching out to social media influencers who strive for the same cause to raise awareness about what they do.
Kain Movement made the move to partner with Kloth Cares (@klothlifestlye on Instagram), a group aimed at addressing fabric and textile waste while fostering a sustainable way of life. Kloth Cares co-founder Nik Suzila Nik Hassan said the partnership only made sense because “The answer is very simple. I can’t do everything”. Working together serves both Kain Movement and Kloth Cares, with both complementing each other. On working with the young people behind Kain Movement, “They give new life to unwanted textiles and collaborate with underprivileged women”, Nik Suzila said.
Kain Movement, Kloth Cares and Maria Chin in discussion about upcycling old fabrics.
They also teamed up with Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah to reach out to the B40 women in her parliamentary constituency so as to help them improve their side income. “We do have poverty in Malaysia. We did a house survey on 620 people and there were still people who earn RM500 and below a month,” said Maria. She added that this initiative served a good dual purpose - not only is it an environmentally friendly move, it also helps to provide employment opportunities. There is a fabric collection bin at Maria’s office for those who wish to drop off their garments.
By: Celestine Foo
