The session also resonates with Malaysia’s longstanding heritage of craft and resourcefulness. For generations, local communities have repurposed natural and leftover materials — from mengkuang mats to rotan baskets — combining practicality with artistry. Wagner’s contemporary practice of weaving discarded plastics into functional and aesthetic pieces finds a modern echo in these traditions, blending environmental mindfulness with cultural continuity.

Sustain;ed, the workshop’s venue partner, embodies a similar mission. Positioned as a platform to educate, empower and advocate for sustainability and social impact, it hosts workshops that weave together environmental and cultural narratives – from plastic upcycling and ancestral art therapy to film screenings such as a recent one celebrating Malaysian icon Jit Murad.

Sustain;ed itself is a collaboration between two entities. Earth Heir champions artisans, makers and brands that drive positive change through sustainable and socially responsible goods. Sea Monkey focuses on innovation, building upcycling machines and equipping marginalised communities with the skills and tools to repurpose materials creatively. These initiatives feed directly into workshops like Trash Weaving, where participants can put these ideas into practice and see sustainability come alive through hands-on creativity.

“I learned how to work with unconventional, disposable materials in an intentional way – weaving them into something meaningful rather than letting them go to waste,” said Yan Ng, a workshop participant and founder of the fashion tech company Lily & Lou. “It reminded me of my own practice: how limitations can inspire innovation, and how rethinking what we already have can open up new creative possibilities.”