This two-month campaign is the first phase of a project to achieve a permanent circular model of recycling shoe waste in Malaysia. The public will be invited to recycle their used and unwanted shoes responsibly by dropping them into any of the shoe waste bins with distinct red lids and white bodies around Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur and Johor. 

“This campaign will bring the concepts of recycling and sustainability accessible to everyone. It emphasizes that anyone can do their part by simply dropping their used shoes in the allocated shoe bins to be recycled into sports infrastructures which can be used again,” said Paul Fong, Country Director for Dow Malaysia and Singapore. “In addition, environmentally-friendly technologies will be used in the builds which will be safer for people and the environment.”

The soles (rubberized parts) of public-collection shoes will be ground into rubber granules. These rubber granules will be used in infrastructure construction particularly sports surfaces, helping to reduce the current standard use of hazardous recycled tyres. The recycled shoe materials will be bound using Dow’s water-based and solvent-free binder technology in a playground built at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Tadom (A), Banting, Selangor, an indigenous school that was severely damaged by a flood in December 2021. When compared to traditional sports and playground surfaces, the result is both safer and more environmentally friendly.

Dr Yasmin Rasyid, Founder and President of EcoKnights, stated, “This partnership is a good example of public-private collaborations to drive sustainability through active public participation. We hope that this effort, among others, will open the path for demonstrating how waste can be reused for other purposes and, ultimately, how the circular economy works.” 

She added, “Our goal is seeing a significant behavioural shift among Malaysians in terms of how we consume materials, how we treat and discard waste, and, ultimately, how we reuse materials for a better or different purpose. This is one way EcoKnights is driving the urgency of adopting a sustainable lifestyle to transition into a carbon-neutral nation.” 

Mr Dale Warren, CEO of Life Line Clothing Malaysia, said in a statement on Wednesday “Our goal is to divert as many shoes away from landfills as possible and that can be achievable by working with members of the community and corporations who are aligned towards the same goal.”

He continued, “This initiative could help play a major role in implementing shoe recycling in Malaysia and we are excited about the outcome of this collaboration. We strive to develop and incorporate innovative technologies into our daily practice, and this tried-and-true concept is one we are eager to put into action.”

The Malaysia Investment Development Authority estimates that the amount of solid waste generated in 2021 will be 38,427 tonnes per day, with 82.5 per cent disposed of in landfills. Because shoes have a shorter life expectancy, landfills are seeing an increase in shoe waste. This could be the answer to addressing the limited space for landfills and reducing the environmental impact for a better Malaysia. 

Notes to Editor:

• EcoKnights with their partners provided the first 30 shoe recycling points around Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur and Johor at the launch of the campaign. 
• The shoes collected will be turned into a children’s playground at Sekolah Kebangsaan Bukit Tadom (A), Banting, Selangor, an indigenous school catering to 100 indigenous students.
• More information about the Old Soles New Life shoe recycling campaign  is available at https://ecoknights.org.my/oldsolesnewlife/ 

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ABOUT ECOKNIGHTS®

EcoKnights® is an impact-driven sustainability organisation that provides and delivers development and environmental interventions to communities, government agencies, learning institutions, and companies to mobilise and catalyse the stakeholders towards sustainable development across trans- and interdisciplinary fields to build bridges towards achieving sustainable communities and companies across four main pillars. Each pillar helps to strengthen the legacy of EcoKnights as it empowers the Knights to ideate, create, run and organise meaningful projects to impart long-lasting sustainable and economic impact to the country.

ABOUT  DOW

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth; asset integration and scale; focused innovation and materials science expertise; leading business positions; and environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership to achieve profitable growth and deliver a sustainable future. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated, science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Dow operates 104 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 35,700 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $55 billion in 2021. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

ABOUT LIFE LINE CLOTHING MALAYSIA (LLCM)

Life Line Clothing Malaysia (LLCM) was formed in 2013 with one goal in mind.. to reduce Malaysia’s fabric waste pollution and divert textiles away from landfills. LLCM collect used textiles and household good across Malaysia by working closely with the communities, corporations and local governments. LLCM also offer hundreds of textile drop-off locations and frequently holds collection drives throughout the country by working hand-in-hand with several institutions including schools, places of worship and universities but also developing strong relations with small and large companies. To help local charities finance their admirable causes, LLCM also collaborates with them to generate significant revenue by providing the infrastructure and logistics for the collections.

Old Soles, New Life

Old Soles New Life is a shoe recycling program initiated by EcoKnights, Dow and LLCM to introduce Malaysia’s inaugural shoe waste ecosystem. 

More details about this campaign are retrievable at this link: https://ecoknights.org.my/oldsolesnewlife/ 

*For media inquiries, you may contact: 

EcoKnights:
Shahirah Anuar
Mobile: +60 115634 2344

Email: shahirah@ecoknights.org.my

Dow:
Kow Sin Yee
Mobile: +65 9815 9557

Email: kow@dow.com 

Life Line Clothing Malaysia: 

Andrew Jackson
Mobile: +60 18666 2004
Email: andrew@upcycle4better.com 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BY JUNE 25 2021

ECOKNIGHTS JOINS BULLMART TO HIGHLIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND BRING BENEFITS TO MALAYSIA

A campaign and long-term collaboration to increase donations and to build brand awareness across industries.

EcoKnights is joining hands with Bullmart to create a more sustainable community and is calling everyone to take action in being a part of the Sustainable Practices Movement.

EcoKnights is a youth-led non-governmental environmental organization focusing on driving actions for a better planet and aims to empower everyone to live sustainably. This collaboration with Bullmart will allow EcoKnights to reach a wider audience and empower more Malaysians to live sustainably while giving them better rewards.

Bullmart, a Social Commerce Sharing Platform+ that focuses on bringing mutual benefits to everyone through simplifying entrepreneurship offers rewards for all its users – both buyers and sellers. The platform allows users the opportunity to earn a passive income through lifetime referral rewards. Bullmart looks to solidify its contribution towards environmental conservation and sustainability through this collaboration with EcoKnights. Additionally, the partnership will help to increase Bullmart’s brand awareness and further grow its user database.

Fadly Bakhtiar, Programme Director of EcoKnights stated that this partnership allows EcoKnights to run more sustainability-driven programs to communities through the donation drive by Bullmart. 

“This campaign signifies a great commitment for EcoKnights to reach out to more people and empower them to live sustainably. We are thrilled to be working with Bullmart as we not only get to connect with more people about sustainable living, but also encourage a conversation about social entrepreneurship, e-commerce and sustainable business practices with Bullmart,” added Fadly. 

The long-term collaboration will begin with an Eco Campaign running from 25th June to 30th June on the Bullmart Platform and on both EcoKnights (@ecoknights) and Bullmart’s (@bullmart_my) Instagram accounts. Throughout the duration of the campaign, Bullmart will donate RM5 to EcoKnights for every transaction using the code “ECO15” for FREE shipping with a minimum purchase of RM15. Furthermore, EcoKnights is entitled to earn unlimited lifetime rewards through referral bonuses and group bonuses. EcoKnights will also be working with influencers Aloneinoasis, Muntazar Gufran, and TV host Diana Rusdi in hosting three IG-live shows as follows:

25/6 3:00pm-3:30pm on An Ocean of Plastic

26/6 2:00pm-2:30pm on Composting 101: Tips & Tricks on Composting from Home

28/6 3:00pm-3:30pm on Garden of Wild Flowers
30/6 3:00pm-3:30pm on Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Plant Parent?

All live shows are open to the public and can be directly accessed through EcoKnights Instagram and will be featured on Bullmart’s account. Tune into the live shows and make purchases during the campaign to stand a chance to win exciting giveaways and prizes!
Download the Bullmart App and create an account using the following link https://bullmart.com/buyer/signup?referral=EcoKnights or use “EcoKnights” as the referral code to help EcoKnights’ fundraising efforts while earning a passive income for yourself!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – EcoKnights, with support from 3M, United Way Worldwide and ASEAN Foundation is on a mission to aid at-risk communities, especially the vulnerable groups in Malaysia who are severely impacted by COVID-19, through Project BUMI: Meet the Needs as part of the ASEAN CARES programme.

With an ambitious pursuit of reaching out to the underprivileged individuals in Malaysia and Thailand, a total funding of USD 160,000 from 3M has been pledged to support over 10,000 deserving communities in Malaysia and Thailand combined.

“It’s important that 3M holds true to its core values during this pandemic by supporting our communities and improving lives. The projects with United Way form part of a $20 million commitment made by 3M at a corporate level to support COVID-19 relief projects globally, and we’re grateful that some of this funding is helping the most vulnerable people in society impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in Malaysia during these exceptional times,” said Mr. GT. Lim, Country Leader of 3M Malaysia.   

United Way Worldwide International President, José Pedro Ferrão, commented: “On behalf of United Way Worldwide, I am pleased to partner with the EcoKnights, one of the ASEAN CARES partners, to help the community in Malaysia, hit hard by COVID-19. This pandemic is a new challenge for all of us, but I trust that we can respond to food-security issues and more by mobilizing community’s caring power together. We look forward to working with the EcoKnights and ASEAN Foundation to bring much-needed relief and long-term recovery to vulnerable communities in Malaysia.”

For the activation of the ASEAN CARES program in Malaysia, 3 local civil society organizations (CSO) were appointed, namely EcoKnights, Trees and the Lost Food Project. As one of the appointed local CSO from Malaysia, the youth-led non-governmental environmental organization, EcoKnights, is geared up to meet the needs of 1,700 underrepresented individuals in Malaysia, covering the region of Pahang, Selangor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor.

This shall not be the first time that the local NGO EcoKnights joined forces with ASEAN Foundation in a socially- and sustainability-driven action project, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“ASEAN CARES embodies the commitment voiced by ASEAN Leaders during the Special ASEAN Summit on COVID-19 and the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19, which calls for of a coherent, multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder and whole-of-ASEAN Community approach in combating the pandemic. We seek to engage all parties, from multinational society to local communities, to work together in delivering a large-scale COVID-19 relief aid to those in desperate needs and marginalise group  through this programme. Through this initiative, we hope that private and public sectors will join hand together to do our part to reduce the suffering of the people due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. ” Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation, Dr. Yang Mee Eng said.

ASEAN CARES aims to provide access to food and basic hygiene for vulnerable individuals and groups such as families with children, people with disabilities, women-headed households, elderlies, refugees, migrants as well as pregnant and lactating women.

The first food supply and hygiene kits distribution by the EcoKnights team and volunteers set off at Kampung Bukit Lanjan to over 20 representatives of the Temuan community (e.g., Head of family), to be further delivered to 170 families with children, and 130 deserving individuals inclusive of people with disabilities, the elderlies and lactating mothers.

Project BUMI is EcoKnights’ sustainability-driven project that aims to uplift underprivileged communities from poverty and empower them towards sustainable living. The goal is to ensure basic necessities are made available to all communities throughout the country. This includes a continuous supply of electricity, clean water and internet connection, alongside access to basic healthcare and education for the communities.

More information about Project BUMI: Meet the Needs humanitarian aid under ASEAN CARES is retrievable at this link: https://ecoknights.org.my/asean-cares/

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ABOUT ECOKNIGHTS®

EcoKnights® is a not-for-profit environmental organisation that provides and delivers development and environmental interventions to communities, government agencies, learning institutions, and companies to mobilise and catalyse the stakeholders towards sustainable development across trans- and interdisciplinary fields to build bridges towards achieving sustainable communities and companies across five main pillars.

The pillars are CSR and Partnership, Public Outreach, Community Development & Education (CDE), Rehabilitation, Restoration and Conservation (RRC) as well as Youth Development & Volunteerism (YDV), supported by Sustainability Communications. Each pillar helps to strengthen the legacy of EcoKnights as it empowers the Knights to ideate, create, run and organise meaningful projects to impart long-lasting sustainable and economic impact to the country. More information about EcoKnights is available on its official website at ecoknights.org.my

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 96,000 employees connect with customers all around the world.

About United Way

United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. Supported by 2.9 million volunteers, 8.1 million donors worldwide and $4.8 billion raised, United Way is the world’s largest privately funded non-profit. We’re engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries and territories worldwide to create sustainable solutions to the challenges facing our communities. United Way partners include global, national and local businesses, non-profits, government, civic and faith-based organizations, along with educators, labour leaders, health providers, senior citizens, students and more. 

About the ASEAN Foundation

Three decades after ASEAN was established, ASEAN leaders recognised that: there remained inadequate shared prosperity, ASEAN awareness and contact among the people of ASEAN. It was of this concern that ASEAN leaders established ASEAN Foundation in Jakarta, Indonesia, at ASEAN’s 30th Anniversary Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 15 December 1997. The ASEAN Foundation is an organisation from and for the people of ASEAN. The Foundation exists because of one vision: to build a cohesive and prosperous ASEAN Community. As an ASEAN body, the Foundation is tasked to support ASEAN mainly in promoting awareness, identity, interaction and development of the people of ASEAN.

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*For media inquiries, you may contact Ms. Fara at fara@ecoknights.org.my or at 011-2321 0492