Support local lah! 5 Brands Making Impact

Now more than ever, Malaysians are rallying together to #supportlocal. A recent study showed 69% of Malaysian consumers are buying more from local brands to help businesses recover from the pandemic. In the spirit of #kitajagakita, we are highlighting our friends and brands that are playing a part in looking after our land & our people – through this pandemic and beyond - all of which can be purchased from our website and in-stores. 

Projek57

Projek57 is ‘A Movement of Hope,’ They spread positivity  through their engagement with youths from schools, colleges, universities or the Orang Asli community to educate & remind them about the values upon which our country was founded. Their brand is driven by positive values and uniting factors to impact the lives of the underserved through empowerment and contributions from the sale of merchandise.

This Merdeka (Malaysia’s Independence Day), we partnered with Projek 57 creating  limited-edition batik merchandise; a tote bag and DIY Batik Kit. These designs honour Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, also referred to as the Father of Malaysia’s Independence (Bapa Kemerdekaan). 

Fugeelah

Fugeelah is a conscious jewellery brand that educates, employs and empowers refugee youth. They aim to financially support the running of the non-profit education hub, Fugee School, by committing a percentage of profits. In addition, they also provide meaningful employment for refugee youths and upskill them  in all aspects of the business while building their confidence and skill set that will make them more employable for future opportunities. 

Did you know Batik Boutique was a founding mentor and partner at the beginning of the brand Fugeelah? We printed their first-ever pouch and scarf collection and worked with several of their students to teach them how to set up pop-ups, talk about their products and make sales.

Now you can get your hands on our favourite collection of theirs yet - the lah Necklaces and brooches.

A few other Fugeelah products that can be found on Batik Boutique stores and websites are t-shirts with artwork by Dhan Illiani, a multi-disciplinary contemporary & performance artist and stunning drop earrings with pearls.

 

Mangosteen Malaysia 

Mangosteen Malaysia brings the scents of the tropics to homes across the nation with personal care products and home fragrances. Mangosteen pledges 100% of their profits to organisations that empower women and children in Southeast Asia so that they can continue to change lives, uplift communities in this region and empower women. To date, they have donated more than RM130,000 to Dignity for Children, a school for refugee and marginalised children in Sentul. 

Their candles are soy-based, hand-poured and smell divine. Their soaps and sanitizers use quality ingredients, and if you have ever stayed at a YTL hotel, you might have noticed these scents. Mangosteen products can be purchased here https://www.thebatikboutique.com and in-stores. 

With the art of Shibori, Batik Boutique has come up with a selection of products, from an in-house plant based dye from the mangosteen plant including loungewear, tumblers, kimonos, headbands, face masks and a canvas toiletry bag.

HappyGoKL

Most know HappyGoKL as the go-to site for local family activities and kid-friendly travel but they also play a part in supporting local causes. Besides travel activities, they sell  a Malaysian rainforest-themed board game, Lizards and Ladders, based on the age-old game Snakes and Ladders. It even comes complete with a durian coin bringing us back to our roots. Happy Go KL’s commitment to conservation has been an important aspect of the game development, with a donation of RM1 for each game sold going to nature conservation in Malaysia. 

For more information on fun family activities in KL and kid-friendly travel in Asia visit https://happygokl.com/

Batik Boutique curated a Game Night Set with HappyGoKL. The set includes a traditional Malaysian game called Batu Seremban. This Batu Seremban Set is handcrafted by artisans in Malaysia using a traditional block printing technique. Like a lot of Batik Boutique products, it aims to support local artisans. HappyGoKL also included 1 Lizards and Ladders board game which supports the endangered animals in Malaysia and 1 Puzzle Coaster set by Lokamade. In efforts to show recognition and to celebrate the local heritage in Malaysia.

We have seen first-hand the importance of creating employment in our community and have built our brand around people. Our brand exists to empower artisans from marginalised communities by creating a demand for artisan-made products and the art of batik.

Please continue to show your support of local businesses as we continue to empower local economies and help artisan communities continue to grow - So let's do this because Malaysia Boleh!