The 35-year-old founder of The Batik Edit has found new purpose in leftover batik fabric, transforming offcuts into practical and attractive items such as coasters and scrunchies.

Her work shows how small ideas can make a meaningful contribution to sustainability.

Fasiha said the idea took shape naturally, prompted by her reluctance to throw away the growing pile of fabric scraps from batik garments sewn by her mother and sister.

“There was no plan at first,” she told Bernama when met at the Upcycle Batik Wear Festival here recently. “But as the leftovers kept piling up, I started thinking about how they could be turned into small, usable products.”

One of the simplest items to produce is a coaster. From the remnants of a single garment, she can make between five and 10 pieces, preventing usable fabric from going to waste.

Producing 10 coasters takes about half an hour. A single scrunchie takes roughly the same amount of time.

Fasiha, who is based in Shah Alam, sources her batik fabric from Terengganu. Beyond being functional, each item carries added value as the motifs reflect Malaysia’s artistic heritage and cultural identity.

Since starting the business in August, she estimates that more than 100 pieces of leftover fabric have been diverted from disposal, with the upcycled items enjoying encouraging demand as souvenirs.

Her products are priced between RM4 and RM20.

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