In school, we used to endure a full hour in a dark stuffy room for Earth Day.

We were told to switch off all lights and ceiling fans by our teachers, who would continue teaching using the whiteboard alone, with no projector.

I used to think that was all we needed to do for our planet.

But did you know that the clothes we are wearing on our bodies right now were likely a punch to the environment?

“For every cotton shirt produced, 200 litres of water would be wasted.

Not only this, the fashion industry as a whole is not as ethical as you think it is. Most clothes at the thrift store are usually left on the racks.”

This was what my roommate for an entrepreneurs’ networking trip, Yanee told me.

She is the CEO and co-founder of Commenhers, a social enterprise that employs its beneficiaries- housewives and elderly, while also functioning as a fashion brand that offers up-cycled fashion products.

Here are my takeaways from our conversation:

1. Solve problems that you see around you

“I got the idea during Covid, when I was looking at the news. Thrift stores were having trouble selling out their goods, and it just seemed like a lot of waste.

So I did deeper research into the fashion industry. I found out that in Singapore, regarding to data, our recycling rate was only 11 percent. Recently, it dropped again to two percent.

I found this situation alarming and wanted to find a way to up-cycle textile waste and produce fashion products more ethically. I want to encourage sustainable living in our community.”

2. Treasure the little moments in life

“It will definitely be a struggle to juggle school and entrepreneurship, I’m not going to tell you that it has been a bed of roses.

The journey can be painful at times, but I always take note of the smallest moments.

For example, seeing my beneficiaries pick up new skills, hearing them tell me that it has allowed them to make new friends and given them a reason to get out of the house…. Sometimes I feel like I am working with my own family. They are like my grandmas.

I treasure and appreciate any little time that I get to spend with my family and loved ones. Entrepreneurship has really taught me to allocate time for the things that I value and focus on the present.”

3. Build in public and stay calm when doing so

“People love to see what is happening behind the scene.

I understand being nervous though. I am always quite nervous before appearing in media. But did you know that even really, really smart people like researchers and scientists are afraid to talk about their work? I find that it really helps when you plan what to say beforehand.

Reporters tend to take what you say word-for-word. Sometimes they don’t bother to send a copy for you to review. So you should really stay calm. It took a while for myself to get the hang of it as well.

Appearing in media can strengthen your brand story because nothing in this world beats a founder directly showing and telling the audience what he or she is working on. I go to sharing sessions and meetups almost every month to publicise my work.

As a founder, you should carry yourself as part of your brand. I wear a product from Commenhers everywhere I go, be it when I’m speaking at panels or attending an event. It’s kind of like free marketing for us haha, and shows my passion for my work.”

Some good news:

Commenhers will be running a workshop this Saturday, 27 July 2024.

The workshop be held at Decathlon from 2 - 4pm.

You will get to walk home with your own Bucket Hat made from a Decathlon non-functional grocery bag.

Sign up here: https://activities.decathlon.sg/en-SG/sport-activities/details/661843

Connect with Yanee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuryanee-anisah/

Commenhers’ website: https://commenhers.com

And that is all for today’s One Sneak Peek Into.

Stay tuned for more insights from our interview series as we continue to explore the stories of trailblazers breaking barriers and redefining success.