Architect and designer Tressie Yap helps her community to earn an income with her designed face masks.

Tressie Yap is a Sabahan architect as well as a designer who championing the cause of “turning trash into treasure” and founded Upcycled Shack that upcycling waste into creative items.

Today, she is working with Borneo Ecotourism Solutions and Technologies (Best Society) to share ideas and skills to make commercial face masks.

Photo source: Best Society Sabah
According to New Straits Times,

The mask which is washable and reusable can be used for a longer time. It would also be cheaper as the ceiling price for a single-use mask is RM1.50.

"I have worked with Best Society before and recently, we have agreed to continue the face mask project with its members."

"My strength is more on design and skill transfer, so the production part has to be done by the community," she told the New Straits Times.

"The face mask would have wires not only on the nose bridge but around the mouth too."

"Best Society is a well-established platform and its target market is foreign customers and corporations who buy as part of their corporate social responsibility initiative," she said.

Previously, she also worked in a voluntary project by Majlis Perkhidmatan Masyarakat Sabah (MPMS) Volunteer Centre to produce fabric reusable face mask for welfare homes. 

Tressie Yap is sharing her knowledge and talents with the community in this struggling time. 

Photo source: MPMS Facebook

Cover photo: Tressie Yap Facebook | MPMS Facebook | Best Society Facebook