Sabahan Entrepreneur Transforms Plastic Waste into Wearable Art

30 March 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Saila Saidie, the founder of LJD Corporation—an enterprise whose name stands for Lifetime Jewellery Design—is leading an initiative to reduce plastic waste in Sabah by transforming discarded materials into wearable art and sustainable tourism products.

A former reporter from Tambunan, Saila collects plastic waste from basket weavers across Sabah, giving new life to these materials by crafting jewellery, particularly earrings adorned with ethnic motifs, as well as other items such as keychains.

Her passion for sustainability was ignited in 2019 when she drove past the floating village in Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu. She was struck by the sight of plastic bottles littering the water.

“It was heartbreaking to see so much plastic waste polluting our environment, I knew I had to do something about it,” she recalled.

At the time, she was still working as a reporter. However, she realised that merely reporting on the issue was not enough - action needed to be taken.

Determined to make a difference, she sought a way to recycle plastic into jewellery, aligning her commitment to sustainability with her long-time hobby and passion.

Subsequently, she joined a social entrepreneurship programme organised by the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC), a government agency under the state’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (KSTI).

The programme provided her with the essential knowledge to establish her enterprise. “The programme was a game-changer for me. It gave me the confidence and skills to turn my vision into reality,” she said.

In 2020, she left the media industry to fully dedicate herself to her business while aiming to empower local and underprivileged communities by providing them with sustainable income-generating opportunities. This vision led her to establish a social enterprise focused on reducing single-use plastic.

To further develop her business, she secured financial assistance from Tabung Ekonomi Kumpulan Usaha Niaga (TEKUN). She was later accredited as a Social Entrepreneur under a programme by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Ministry (KUSKOP).

In 2022, she was recognised as one of Sabah’s Shell LiveWIRE winners, receiving vital funding of RM10,000, mentorship, and access to new networks to accelerate LJD’s impact. The funding allowed her to upgrade her machinery to include a sheet press machine, enhancing production capacity.

“This support has been instrumental in helping us scale up our production and reach more people with our message,” she shared.

She established her recycling hub in Telipok, where discarded plastic is upcycled through an innovative process. Each week, Saila receives approximately 10kg of cleaned plastic waste from basket weavers, primarily from Kota Kinabalu, as well as from towns such as Papar, Kudat, and Tambunan.

Using computer-aided design software, Saila personally designs all the costume jewellery pieces. LJD Corporation is dedicated to celebrating and promoting Sabah’s rich cultural heritage.

Each accessory crafted from recycled plastic is meticulously designed with attention to detail and durability in mind. “Every piece we create tells a story—of culture, sustainability, and transformation,” she explained.

For marketing, she primarily relies on e-commerce platforms such as Instagram and TikTok Shop, which have enabled her to expand her reach beyond Sabah and scale both her business and its impact.

Today, her initiative is transforming plastic waste into wearable art and sustainable tourism products while providing employment opportunities for local communities—particularly women and villagers—as well as underprivileged groups.

She also conducts training in plastic upcycling, sharing her expertise to equip others with valuable skills and provide them with a sustainable source of income.

“Education is key. The more people understand the importance of recycling and sustainability, the bigger impact we can make together,” she said.