About
Trash2Treasure4Communities towards sustainability
Established in 2014 by our founder Tressie Yap
Upcycled Shack's inception was driven by the vision of providing discarded materials with a second chance at life. Our founder's mission was to transform waste into valuable, purposeful items.5
ESTABLISHMENT
A visit to Kota Belud in 2013 marked a turning point for Tressie Yapinspiring her to engage the local community in the mission of turning "trash" into "treasure."
As someone who has embraced a zero-waste lifestyle for over a decade, she felt a calling to train the villagers in upcycling waste materials, not only to make their surroundings cleaner but also to generate additional income for them.10
THE SPARK
2013
2014
2024
LAUNCH OF WEBSITE
Tressie Yap
Tressie, an artist and architect, has consciously embraced a minimal waste lifestyle since 2014. As the Founder of Upcycled Shack, she has been instrumental in producing artisanal crafts and wearables from upcycled materials.
With a mission to raise awareness within communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), governmental bodies, and the general public, Tressie advocates for the potential of reusing and repurposing waste materials into merchandise. Engaging in research and development, she focuses on upcycling industrial and consumer waste.
Tressie's journey has garnered recognition, leading to invitations to collaborate with numerous NGOs, corporates, and governmental agencies. Her approach fosters a circular economy, particularly benefiting underprivileged communities.
To date, Tressie has participated in partnership programs with organisations such as Happy Plastic Borneo, PACOS TRUST, Dumo Wongi, Corn Husk Craft, Ripple x Carlsbot Glass Recycling, and many more.
In 2020, amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Tressie was acknowledged as one of the 30 organisations and 30 individual recipients for the 'SCEIC 2020 Honourable Mention' by the Sabah Creative Economy and Innovation Centre (SCENIC). This acknowledgment reflects her significant contribution, dedication, and support in building competent talents in Sabah.
In 2022, she assumed the role of Chair at RIPPLE, the Sabah Recycling Association, leading initiatives in glass and plastic recycling and establishing the first pioneer upcycling centre in Sabah.
In 2023, Tressie received another prestigious award from SCENIC, the SE Kinabalu Award in the Women Empowerment category. This award recognises her impactful contributions to women's communities, both socially and economically, through her work on eco-friendly products.
Founder of Upcycled Shack | Architect | Artist
Mission
Our mission is to empower underprivileged local communities by equipping them with the tools and knowledge to upcycle household waste into beautiful, marketable products, thereby preventing these materials from causing environmental pollution.
Through education and advocacy, Upcycled Shack aims to cultivate a global culture that values and encourages the upcycling of waste materials.
Sustainability
We care about our planet.
Harnessing her love for architecture and nature, Tressie and the Upcycled Shack team aims to utilise skills in design and the endless waste resources to infuse product design & merchandise value into discarded items.
Materials we use
With the ever-growing waste issue in our society, all it takes is a little creativity to look at the 'waste' and see its potential.
From Cornhusk waste to foiled coffee capsules, glass bottles, single-use bottles and many more....
Working Ethos
We believe in empowering the B40 community by injecting creativity and exploring untapped talent, especially in the arts and craft sector.
Skilled hands and an eye for creation are harnessed and developed through programs run in partnership with organisations such as Happy plastic Borneo, PACOS TRUST, Dumo Wongi, Corn Husk Craft, Ripple x Carlsbot Glass Recycling and many more....
