From The Straits Times    |

“I was influenced to join the construction industry by my late grandfather and father – they were in the field. I grew up spending weekends and holidays at construction sites, the asphalt factory and at quarries in Malaysia. However, after realising that our natural resources are being depleted at an exponential rate, and that there was no substitute for asphalt, I felt an urgent need to come up with a sustainable solution.

At Magorium, we create a material that is sustainable, as it is derived from waste instead of finite natural resources. Plus, we solve the problem of plastic waste remaining unrecycled. We worked with researchers and industry experts to create it, and I was personally involved in the trial and testing phases. There is no additional cost, training or manpower to companies that switch to using our material.

Oh Chu Xian, founder of Magorium, on the plastic waste problem and sustainability in the road construction industry
Viscose and silk dress, Jil Sander at Club 21. Clip-on earrings, stylist’s own

Environmental accountability is getting the most attention it has had in years, but I feel that we can not only do more, but also move at a faster pace because it is a literal race to ‘heal’ Earth. One of the simplest things we can do to play a part is mindful consumption, which is something I am working on improving myself. All the goods and products, and even the foods we consume have an environmental cost tagged to them, so before purchasing anything, no matter how affordable it is, I always ask myself if I truly need it or if it is to satisfy a want.

Environmental accountability is getting the most attention it has had in years, but I feel that we can not only do more, but also move at a faster pace.

Oh Chu Xian

We have expansion plans for South-east Asia, as it has one of the worst plastic pollution problems in the world. But since exporting is something that accumulates a large carbon footprint, we are looking to bring our technology to the respective countries to [help] process their domestic plastic waste, and create more environmentally friendly roads.

My advice for someone looking to get into environmental entrepreneurship is to never lose sight of your vision. There will be moments along the way where you might be able to, say, increase revenue at the expense of the environment, so it is crucial that you are prepared for a tough balancing act.”

Photography: Veronica Tay
Art Direction: Ray Ticsay & Adeline Eng
Styling: Lena Kamarudin & Windy Aulia
Hair: Sean Ang, Angel Gwee, Shaikh Madiha Sadique Ahmed
Makeup: Lolent Lee using Shiseido & Angel Gwee