Nik Suzila Hassan

CO-FOUNDER

Kloth Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Malaysian Social Enterprise on Keeping Fabric and Plastic Out of Landfills & Oceans

A knowledge-sharing session on Malaysian women’s journey in advocating for fellow Malaysians on keeping unwanted fabric and plastic out of landfills and oceans. Kloth Malaysia was founded by Nik Suzila (Suzy) and her co-founder Sarah and together they aspire to become the catalyst in the textile and plastic circular economy in Malaysia.

Through their own brand Kloth Cares, they established Kloth Cares Fabric Recycling Movement and pledged to collect 2 million kilograms of unwanted fabrics and achieved the target in 40 months, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. They’ve installed more than 400 fabric recycling bins in Malaysia and growing.

The movement is supported by more than 400 fabric recycling partners who are adopting, promoting, or funding the movement to achieve the desired outcome. In addition, Suzy and her team developed other ESG brands including Kloth Textile & Kloth Wear, whereby textiles made from recycled plastic bottles are sold to the Malaysians. More than 180, 000 plastic bottles turned into fabrics were sold to valued clients. Furthermore, Woman Up by Kloth Cares is another movement inspired to uplift the social-economic status and livelihoods of women in Malaysia, especially through creating sewing.

More than 20, 000 products made from donated fabrics were sewn by women from the marginalized communities in Malaysia in 18 months. These products were purchased by corporate clients including Loreal, BASF- Petronas, Accenture Malaysia, and many others. Themed Rising with #SHEconomy, Woman Up has helped 20 women to earn income from creative sewing and wants to reach out to more women to partake in this journey….

Session Takeaways

  • How they can establish a social enterprise despite having no experience in entrepreneurship.
  • Changing mindsets of Malaysian towards environmental and social sustainability.
  • Why should anyone care about keeping fabric and plastic out of landfills and oceans?
  • How recyclables or trash can become income and wealth for others?
  • How women can make a difference through their voices?
  • Learning what is mental and physical endurance and how not to give up.

Nik Suzila Hassan

“Nik Suzila (Suzy) is a graduate with Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) and had worked in the audit and finance sector for 3 years. She pivoted into the media industry, and spent over 10 years leading the business development, brand & communication, revenue enhancement, partnerships etc. She co-founded Kloth Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (KMSB) in 2013 with Sarah Kedah, both inspiring to become the leading social enterprise in catalysing the textile and plastic circular economy. They have built brands including Kloth Cares Fabric Recycling Movement (KCFRM), Woman Up by Kloth Cares, Kloth Lifestyle, Kloth Textile, Kloth Wear, Kloth Circular Plastic, Crush-It etc.

Through KCFRM, over 2 million kg of unwanted garments have been collected over 40 months, from August 2018. In addition, more than 180, 000 recycled plastic bottles were turned into fabric and sold to the Malaysian corporate clients under its flagship brands, Kloth Textile and Kloth Wear.”