Meet Azalea Marzuki and Ong Suan Yean, the two close friends who are making a difference with their sustainable fashion brand, Terrae
Terrae creates comfortable and stylish garments for women of all sizes from a combination of organic cotton, dead stock fabric and Econyl, a material that recycles discarded fishing nets and plastic waste in the ocean.
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Since it was launched last year, this homegrown brand has become the blueprint for sustainable businesses in Malaysia. Breaking from the increasingly common industry practice of greenwashing, the founders of Terrae, Azalea Marzuki and Ong Suan Yean, offer refreshing transparency of their entire process, demonstrating how the environment is taken into account at every step of the way, from fabric and design to their biodegradable tags and packaging.
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Fitness enthusiasts themselves, Azalea and Ong share that they were motivated to design activewear and athleisure for real bodies in real situations, without harming the planet. "I’ve seen first hand what goes on behind the scenes and have always believed that the industry as a whole could, and should, do better," says Azalea, who was a fashion and jewellery designer before founding Terrae.
Despite the success of the brand, they readily admit that there is more that can be done. "It's tricky keeping textiles, especially those made from synthetic fibres and elastane, from the landfill," notes Ong. "They're difficult to recycle. By mixing them with more eco-friendly fabrics, it is the first step to reducing environmental impact and achieving a circular economy. We continually research and work with material experts to source more sustainable textiles that lend themselves better to recycling."
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