UNIQLO Tackles Marine Pollution in Terengganu with Adopt-a-Beach & Plastic Upcycling Livelihood Project

In line with its parent company Fast Retailing’s sustainability targets and focus on zero waste and marine conservation, UNIQLO Malaysia initiated two projects in Terengganu earlier this year to help address the state’s marine and environmental pollution and improve its waste management infrastructure. 

While the first project named Adopt-a-Beach encourages local communities to keep their beaches clean and guides them on proper ways to process litter and waste for recycling purposes, the Plastic Upcycling Livelihood Project (PULP) sets its sight on eventually supporting locals to start a small social business to upcycle plastic waste and turning them into useful items.

Adopt-a-Beach 

The Adopt-a-Beach project consists of two main activities: regular beach clean-up and set up of recycling stations at ‘adopted’ beaches. Working with the Faculty of Science and Marine Environment at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), local communities including UNIQLO’s customers will be invited to participate in beach clean-up activities, which will be organized regularly. To this end, UNIQLO has provided AIRism t-shirts to keep participants cool and comfortable as they gather to collect litter and waste from the beach under the hot and humid weather. 

To encourage beach users to properly sort and dispose their litter and waste, UNIQLO Malaysia donated 10 recycling stations made up of three bins each to collect plastic, tin and glass recyclables. Working with Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu (MBKT, Kuala Terengganu City Council), these stations will be distributed along the coastline of ‘adopted’ beaches. 

“We are thankful to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and the Kuala Terengganu City Council for their partnership and support to our sustainability projects. Our approach is not only to provide the means to a short-term end, but to educate, guide and involve the local communities on how they can contribute to cleaning their beautiful beaches and disposing their waste in a more responsible manner, so as to create a better environment in Terengganu in the long run.,” said Yamada Yuki, CEO of UNIQLO Singapore and Malaysia.