Unfortunately, unwanted sarees face the same fate as other outdated garments and often end up in landfills. Upon decomposition, these textiles release methane, a harmful greenhouse gas, in addition to toxic chemicals and dyes in the fabric that leach into the soil and groundwater.

It’s been a tradition for Padmani Suppiah and her family to clean out their closet before Deepavali, and although she realised that she has a lot of sarees that she no longer used, she didn’t know where to send them to.

“These sarees have a lot of sentimental value; I couldn’t bring myself to just drop them into a fabric recycling bin,” added the 49-year-old former project manager.

Having embarked on a more sustainable lifestyle with the aim of minimising waste, Padmani decided to turn these sarees into bags, and thus “sareeUP” was born in December 2021.

“I want to extend the lifespan of the fabric, avoid more fabric going into the landfills and to think of ways to help create a circular economy model, where things are kept in circulation for as long as possible.”

With the help of skilled local seamstresses, she has since turned close to 100 sarees into a variety of bags, such as tote bags, lunch bags, “ring” bags and Japanese-inspired “knot bags”.

There are even cute little “ketupat”-shaped bags that she hopes will replace the need for “angpau” packets.

“You could give these bags to children, and they can put their ‘angpau’ money in them,” she told FMT, adding that altogether, she has sold and gifted a total of 700 bags.

Her customers include tourists who have bought the bags as gifts for friends and family back home.

“I’m proud to say that these ‘made in Malaysia’ bags are now in different parts of the world, and the spirit behind this venture can now be passed on to different people.”

The prices of these charming bags range from RM25-RM50, and she sells them through Instagram as well as at bazaars.

“I’d encourage people to come and see the bags for themselves during the bazaars. As they’re made of different materials, there might be some irregularities, but I’m very open and transparent about them,” she said, adding that most people are extremely supportive of her cause.

Many have also donated their unused sarees to her.

“In fact, some of them are brand new. A lot of people get them as gifts and never end up using them,” she explained, adding that she has plans for other items such as curtains and table mats once she has enough seamstress working for her.

She refuses to get them made overseas at cheaper prices and is instead adamant on supporting local artisans.

“sareeUP” is primarily a platform to raise awareness on zero-waste living and environmental issues, something that she is extremely passionate about.

“According to statistics, if we continue living this way, by 2030, a lot of cities around the world will be underwater, and yet, there is no sense of urgency amongst most people as well as the government,” she shared.

She also recalls that as a child in the ‘70s, her family members would use worn out shirts, sarees and sarongs as floor mats and kitchen rags.

“Repurposing fabrics was a norm among the older generation, but these days, we tend to follow trends instead of living practically. Thankfully these old practices are being reintroduced.”

Needless to say, she loves engaging with people that come to the bazaars. However, at the end of the day, she acknowledges that she doesn’t have the answers to many questions.

“What happens to the bags when they eventually wear out? Hopefully we can then find another solution, and perhaps turn them into jewellery or patchwork. More importantly, we need to keep the engagement and conversation going.”

To purchase these gorgeous bags or to donate pre-loved sarees, visit ‘sareeUP’ on Instagram and Facebook.