Through her upcycled jewellery brand Ipil Kupil, the 26-year-old creates accessories that reflect lived experiences, from grief and struggle to healing and renewal – each piece transformed into wearable art.
Operating her brand since November, Amira works primarily with upcycled metal, breathing new life into materials once considered waste.
“For me, materials that are destined for the landfill still have value: they just need a second life,” she told Bernama, adding that her work aligns naturally with growing interest in sustainable fashion.
Her love for upcycling began early. “Since I was young, I’ve loved upcycling materials – for example, making ‘necklaces’ from thread and newspapers – to the point that I became known as ‘Amira Kitar Tinggi’ (Amira the Recycler),” she shared with a laugh.
As she grew older, her creative focus shifted. “I didn’t want to simply make something pretty for the sake of it,” she said. Instead, she wanted to create products that were meaningful.
A natural listener, Amira now draws inspiration from life stories shared by friends. Those tales are then translated into designs that carry personal meaning and emotional weight.
Met at the Upcycle Batik Wear Festival here last month, she pointed to one of her most meaningful collections, The Blooming Lotus earrings, inspired by a friend who had lost her mother to cancer.
Based on the lotus flower, which closes and blooms again, the design symbolises rebirth and resilience. “It represents living positively, even when facing difficult trials,” Amira explained.
Her products have been warmly welcomed by people of all ages. “I never thought that designs made from stainless steel, accompanied by these life stories, would receive such encouraging response. Many find them a source of motivation,” she said.
Her other bestsellers include brooches and pins priced between RM50 and RM100, depending on design complexity. Nature-inspired motifs remain a recurring theme across her collections.
Despite the polished finish of her work, Amira has no formal training in jewellery making. Instead, she taught herself through YouTube tutorials, and decided to sell her products after receiving positive feedback from friends.
On the source of her materials, she revealed how, while working on an architecture course project, she had learnt about construction waste and was “shocked” by how much is thrown away.
She now sources metal from a furniture company, describing it as cleaner, neater and visually appealing.
“The surface is shiny, so it looks beautiful when turned into women’s accessories,” she said, adding that the process helps her relieve academic stress while providing her with a side income.
Amira was one of 16 entrepreneurs featured at the Upcycle Batik Wear Festival, which aimed to raise awareness about sustainability and creative reuse.
Learn more about Ipil Kupil on Instagram.