Uniqlo

by AKMAR ANNUAR

IT WASN’T the seaside, but standing inside Uniqlo Co Ltd’s TRX Exchange store, this writer found herself face-to-face with a baby mangrove plant — its spear-like seed and tiny roots held gently in the hands of Global Environment Centre (GEC) director Faizal Parish.

“This is how it begins,” he said, pointing to a photo of a wave-battered coastline in Mersing, Johor, where communities are working to restore what rising tides have slowly erased.

Through a series of picture galleries, slideshows and hands-on displays, Parish and his team brought the coast to Kuala Lumpur (KL) — along with a message: Mangroves are not just trees, but lifelines.

The occasion marked the launch of Uniqlo Malaysia’s latest environmental collaboration with GEC, an extension of its ongoing RE.Uniqlo sustainability programme.

Together, they aim to restore mangrove ecosystems across vulnerable Malaysian coastlines while encouraging the public to rethink the role fashion and lifestyle play in climate resilience.

From Coastal Roots to Urban Outreach 

Though the muddy estuaries were miles away, the urgency of the issue felt close.

According to Parish, 30% of Malaysia’s coastline is already threatened by erosion. Climate models project worsening conditions over the next 30 to 50 years, with sea levels rising and storms growing stronger.

“Mangroves evolved right here in this region. They drink salt water, they root in mud, and they grow support structures that hold the coast together. And yet, we’ve lost so many of them. Bringing them back is one of the most powerful things we can do,” he said.

In Mersing, one of GEC’s newest sites, the project is still in its early days. But in other locations, similar efforts have already helped reverse damage — protecting roads, homes and even a community graveyard once at risk of washing away. Villagers, too, have been part of the process, earning income by building wave barriers and helping establish mangrove nurseries.

At TRX Exchange, the message was simple but striking: Conservation isn’t just for those living by the sea. Everyone, even city-dwellers, can play a role — beginning with awareness.

Uniqlo’s Vision for Circular Impact

For Uniqlo, the mangrove partnership reflects its broader mission to deliver practical, local solutions that align with its global sustainability goals.

Uniqlo Malaysia sustainability and corporate public relations (PR) director Dawn Chow said the collaboration is about making environmental care tangible for customers — not just a marketing point, but a lived value.

“We’ve been in Malaysia for 15 years, and we want to go deeper. Supporting coastal resilience isn’t something you expect from a fashion brand, but that’s exactly the point.

Sustainability has to be embedded in every part of life,” she said. The company’s RE.Uniqlo programme already encourages customers to return used garments for reuse, repair or donation.

Over 10,000 pieces were recently redistributed to refugees through its partnership with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Malaysia, and new RE.Uniqlo Studio embroidery designs are now available — including one symbolising support for displaced communities, created by a former refugee artist.

“This project with GEC adds another layer. It shows how circularity can go beyond clothing — it can touch ecosystems and communities,” said Chow.

Education for the Next Generation

When asked by The Malaysian Reserve (TMR), Parish said part of the GEC-Uniqlo collaboration includes youth outreach.

GEC’s Mangrove Forest Ranger Programme selects schoolchildren for immersive, long-term learning experiences.

Other activities include mangrove-themed carnivals and school roadshows to foster early appreciation for biodiversity.

“We’ve brought schoolkids into mangrove sites and forests. You see the difference once they understand the ecosystem — they want to protect it,” Parish told TMR.

Bringing Nature Home

One of the most charming moments came when guests were invited to take home a small plant of their own — a symbolic gesture that this writer found unexpectedly moving.

While it wasn’t a mangrove (those require specific wetland conditions), the gift, offered in collaboration with Taman Tugu, served as a quiet reminder that caring for the environment doesn’t have to begin in the forest. It can start on your windowsill.

Cradling the leafy sapling, this writer couldn’t help but reflect on Parish’s earlier words.

“It’s not just about what you wear. It’s about what you grow, what you protect and how you choose to live.”

Looking Ahead

Uniqlo Malaysia will be monitoring the mangrove site’s progress in six and 12 months, sharing the outcomes with its global office as part of an annual sustainability report.

These data include carbon footprint reduction, community impact and habitat restoration.

Chow said she hopes the collaboration inspires people to shift away from “throwaway culture” and instead adopt a mindset of longevity — not only for clothing but for the world we live in.

“It’s time we connect the dots between our lifestyle and our environment. The more we understand that link, the more empowered we are to make change — one shirt, one tree, one home at a time,” she shared with TMR.

For this writer, the walkthrough might have taken place in a sleek retail space, but the impact was no less powerful.

The mangrove seed Parish held up, the photos of rebounding shorelines and the soft green plant now sitting by the window — they’re small gestures, but they’re a beginning.

After all, a river of green doesn’t begin in the forest. It begins where we are.

---

• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

The post Uniqlo, GEC bring mangrove conservation to the city appeared first on The Malaysian Reserve.