Tag: sustainable

Indonesia – Dentsu Indonesia has partnered with local sustainability start-up Boolet to launch “Re-Skewer”, a campaign addressing the growing issue of single-use satay skewer waste in Jakarta.

The initiative responds to growing concerns over Indonesia’s wood-based utensil waste, with around 15,000 tonnes of single-use chopsticks and skewers produced annually. In Jakarta, much of this waste is either unmanaged in landfills or littered in public areas. Difficult to process and potentially hazardous, skewers pose environmental and physical risks—yet recycling efforts and public awareness remain limited.

“Re-Skewer” combines education, incentivisation, and upcycling to convert skewer waste into reusable products while introducing street food vendors to circular economy practices. The campaign aims to provide a more practical and value-driven recycling solution for small food businesses—those most directly generating skewer waste.

As part of the campaign, Dentsu Indonesia led research and development efforts to create a recyclable packaging format for charcoal briquettes made from discarded skewers. Materials labs were consulted to ensure feasibility and usability for vendors.

Boolet, whose core mission revolves around upcycling used satay sticks and chopsticks into wooden lifestyle products—such as eyewear frames, phone stands, and coasters—has until now depended primarily on donations from individuals and corporations. While these products offered a sustainable alternative, they had limited relevance to the day-to-day operations of satay vendors, resulting in minimal engagement from the UMKM (micro, small, and medium enterprise) sector.

Rangga Immanuel, executive creative director at Dentsu Creative Indonesia, commented, “One skewer at a time; with ‘Re-Skewer’, our team focused on designing a campaign that not only addresses a pressing waste issue but also delivers real value to the community. It shows how creativity, when grounded in empathy and local culture, can create tangible impact.”

The campaign’s initial activation led to the collection of enough skewer waste to produce 45 kilograms of charcoal briquettes in a single day. The result not only diverted waste from landfills but also introduced vendors to alternative fuel sources, potentially lowering operational costs.

Following its early success in Jakarta, Boolet plans to expand the campaign to other cities, aiming to engage more vendors and communities. Future plans include scaling up recycling operations and introducing new product lines through collaborations with local artisans.

Cindy Susanto, chief executive officer at Boolet, commented, “Re-Skewer goes beyond a recycling program—it’s a collective movement that invites vendors, consumers, and communities to reimagine waste. Our approach has always been to support the local circular economy, and with dentsu Indonesia’s strategic thinking and culturally rooted approach, we’re aiming to gradually change public behaviour and support micro-businesses for the long term.”

Hong Kong – Maxim’s Group (Maxim’s) has unveiled its collaboration with 7-Eleven to create the innovative canned ‘Coffee BOB,’ a craft beer crafted from upcycled coffee grounds sourced from daily operations at 7CAFÉ.

In this collaboration, Maxim’s repurposes surplus bread from its facilities and coffee grounds from 7CAFÉ’s daily operations to produce the new canned ‘Coffee BOB.’ By utilising its award-winning recipe, this initiative guarantees exceptional quality and design while infusing the beer with the unique flavour profile of 7CAFÉ.

BOB, short for ‘Bottle of Bread,’ is a key step in Maxim’s commitment to a circular economy. This craft beer series replaces traditional barley with surplus bread and crusts from Maxim’s facilities. So far, BOB has upcycled 3.5 tonnes of bread and 300 kg of coffee grounds, producing variants like the pale ale ‘Original BOB’ and the coffee-infused stout ‘Coffee BOB.’

This partnership utilises 7-Eleven’s extensive retail network to promote sustainable practices like waste reduction and upcycling. Maxim’s and 7-Eleven aim to enhance audience engagement with BOB through integrated online and offline marketing strategies.

Coffee BOB will initially launch at 70 selected 7-Eleven stores, with plans to expand to nearly 800 in Hong Kong and Macau. Lin Min-chen will continue as the spokesperson for BOB, and yuu members can redeem a can for just 2,200 points plus HK$5—a 66% discount, limited to 10,000 redemptions. 

Keith Siu, chief operating officer (Hong Kong and Macau) of Maxim’s Group, said, “This partnership sets a precedent for cross-sector collaboration and paves the way for more sustainable initiatives in the industry.” 

Alex Liu, managing director of 7-Eleven HK & Macau at DFI Retail Group, also commented, “Our shared vision for sustainable development brought us together for this collaboration, expanding our ‘Grounds to Green’ project with the introduction of the new canned coffee BOB, further promoting environmental protection and a sustainable lifestyle.”

Maxim’s Group remains committed to sustainability through initiatives such as the WeGen farming regenerative agriculture project and its efforts to transform pre-consumer food waste into premium products.

Meanwhile, 7-Eleven’s “Grounds to Green Coffee Grounds Upcycling Program” has been repurposing coffee grounds from 7CAFÉ into fertilisers for local charity farms since July, supporting vegetable cultivation for 10 charities. The next phase introduces BOB canned coffee craft beer, further transforming used coffee grounds. This initiative promotes food waste recycling and raises environmental awareness, reinforcing the “food wise” message.

Singapore – Sporting goods retailer Decathlon Singapore has collaborated with multi-category classifieds and recommerce marketplace Carousell to strengthen its eco-conscious initiatives with the launch of ‘Decathlon Carousell Store’. 

The newly launched store offers customers a convenient and trustworthy platform to buy and sell quality-assured second hand bicycles that have been inspected and refurbished by Decathlon on the Carousell platform. 

Users interested in selling their bikes can schedule an appointment directly with Decathlon through the Carousell app’s ‘Sell to Carousell Bicycle’ button. 

Bikes sold by users to Decathlon will undergo meticulous inspection and refurbishment by their seasoned experts before they are put on sale on Decathlon’s official ‘Second Life Store’ on Carousell. Additionally, each bike also comes with a two-year warranty and can be paid securely upon checkout at Carousell. 

Decathlon and Carousell’s partnership comes as both share a common goal of emphasising sustainable efforts and supporting the circular economy. By partnering with Carousell, Decathlon aims to broaden its audience, leveraging Carousell’s extensive reach of 1 in 3 Singaporeans, including many keen secondhand shoppers, in response to the growing demand for sustainable shopping.

Aside from selling and buying second-hand bicycles, Decathlon’s partnership with Carousell will also allow users to trade their old Decathlon bikes. 

For users interested in trading their old Decathlon bicycles, they can make an appointment on the Carousell app. Upon meet-up, the bikes will be inspected by Decathlon’s seasoned team of experts. 

This partnership marks Decathlon’s debut in bringing its bicycle trade-in program to a recommerce platform in Singapore, following the success of its Second Life initiative introduced in 2022. Second Life offers refurbished goods at discounted rates. Decathlon intends to expand this trade-in programme to other sports categories soon.

It also marks the official launch of Carousell Group’s Brand Solutions, which streamlines the process for brands to offer resale options to customers. This initiative transforms how brands incorporate resale, providing tailored programmes and resale-as-a-service solutions, promoting sustainable shopping, and benefiting both brands and consumers in the eco-conscious market.

Decathlon’s strategic partnership with Carousell signifies its dedication to environmental responsibility by enhancing user engagement in the circular economy. Embracing recommerce, Decathlon offers eco-friendly alternatives, contributing to a sustainable future for the sports industry in alignment with Singapore’s sustainability initiatives.

Nathaniel Gregory, circular economy and services lead at Decathlon Singapore, said, “Sustainability has been a core tenet of Decathlon’s business. Besides enhancing our production process to produce quality items in an eco-conscious manner, it is important to further extend our product life cycle. Having a partner like Carousell whose brand and user community are passionate about the circular economy gives us an increased avenue to reach out to more people who can, in turn, be advocates for a more sustainable future.”

Meanwhile, JJ Eastwood, senior vice president of brand solutions at Carousell Group, shared, “Carousell has been at the heart of the circular economy across the region for over a decade, with the goal of making secondhand transactions more trusted and convenient. Our partnership with Decathlon advances this mission, significantly benefiting buyers and sellers alike. Sellers enjoy the convenience of a buyback program. Meanwhile, buyers at Decathlon’s Official Second Life Store on Carousell are assured of quality thanks to thorough inspections and warranties. This partnership marks the first of many new brand partnerships, ranging from trade-in initiatives to end-to-end Resale As A Service programmes.”