‘Sayang’ in the Malay language often connoted love, whilst also expressing a sense of loss or regret towards a wasted opportunity.

By repurposing denim waste, the Sayang project explores the overlooked yet precious qualities of the material using sustainable techniques and processing methods, uncovering hidden opportunities in what is typically unloved and undervalued.

The final series consists of a range of decorative products- a hanging lamp, wall art and wall lights that are designed using an under-utilised deconstructed ‘weaving’ handcraft technique, ultimately revealing denim waste as a material that is able to (1) form graphic patterns and (2) diffuse light beautifully.

Sayang hopes to inspire and open perspectives of waste as a creative resource through a fusion of design, craft and art.