ReKayu
RE:KAYU is a Malaysian-based social enterprise that aims to uphold sustainability throughout the ASEAN region. They believe in creating an environmental and social impact by enabling underprivileged youths from Malaysia’s low-income families to create beautiful upcycled wooden furniture from recycled wood.
RE:KAYU was created after the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the living situations for local communities, particularly the lower-income groups. These groups lived in local public housing and were unable to afford basic furniture. Poor living conditions are among the factors that affect individuals’ physical and mental health. RE:KAYU aims to help these affected groups by providing the youths with a sense of purpose through mentorship and employment.
- Malaysia
Product and Services:
Old and discarded wooden pallets would be locally sourced and given a new breath of life. Basic furniture items like benches, tables, cabinets, and shoe racks are popular among customers as they are functional, sustainable, and affordable. To provide further value to their products, RE:KAYU teamed up with Izzati Shahrin and the collective of Artists with Disabilities from WE&I to showcase their creativity in signature Art styles and the play of colours and motifs.
Aside from underprivileged youth, RE:KAYU also works with former convicts looking for a new lease on life. Individuals who want to give back to society could either volunteer or be employed by the enterprise to contribute to Malaysia’s workforce. By offering underprivileged employment and entrepreneurship skills, RE-KAYU hopes it will help improve their overall well-being and living standards.
Since the start of the operations, over 500 wooden pallets have been saved from landfills and recycled to help more than 200 beneficiaries in the country. RE:KAYU’s efforts have also reduced over 14.06 metric tons of CO2 emissions. After more than three years, RE:KAYU continues to have a meaningful impact on local communities, a model they hope to share with other parts of the ASEAN region.