Kuala Lumpur’s one-of-a kind line of fitness clothing is made from recycled human waste from landfills and the oceans. It has established itself locally and internationally.
Two 29-year-old fitness enthusiasts, Azalea and Suan Yean, founded Terra and Eve Sdn Bhd to develop a fashionable brand of high quality and positive impact on the environment.
“We created the Terrae brand of activewear to combine our interest in fitness and fashion with our belief in sustainable living, which is still a fairly new concept in Malaysia.
“In the process, we have removed some of the plastics that end up in the oceans and landfills. Currently, we collect about 100,000 tonnes of waste each year from these two sources, which helped prevent 57,100 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere,” said Azalea.
Elle continued to say that dyes have been avoided by the company by recycling plastic waste and creating the athletic line.
Since then, products under the Terrae brand—which also includes bottoms, sweatshirts, sports bras, skirts, and bags—have been shipped to the US, Singapore, Germany, and Australia.
Suan says that the company is developing a program for garment exchange through which used athletic clothes can be returned to the business to make new items.
For the next five years, the company aspires to establish a circular fashion ecosystem, with an emphasis on each item’s longevity and life cycle in addition to its creation.
Suan said that Terrae is committed to using less conventional materials and migrating towards more eco-friendly alternatives.
These include textiles made of recycled polyethylene Terephthalate, and Econyl which is a nylon replacement that’s been created from other waste products.
They stressed the importance to pay attention to what raw materials are purchased, in particular their durability.
“This means investing in products that will last longer, and not contribute to the use-and-throw-away culture,” said Suan.
Elle continued to say that the company is dedicated to reducing waste, using sustainable, organic products and working with ethical manufacturers and suppliers.