ANN/THE STAR – Nestled about 125km north of Kota Kinabalu, the town of Kota Marudu in Sabah is a quiet agricultural hub, best known for its flourishing corn industry. Here, vast fields of golden crops stretch across the landscape, sustaining the livelihoods of many.
In some villages, as much as 70 per cent of the population earn a living as corn farmers. Yet, alongside every harvest, a common byproduct—corn husks—is often discarded in large quantities, overlooked as mere waste.
For Felorince Lunsin, a 31-year-old online seller and conservation biology graduate, this sight was more than just an afterthought—it was an environmental concern waiting to be addressed.
The Kota Marudu native, well aware of the impact of agricultural waste, stumbled upon an unexpected opportunity in 2022 when she signed up for a free corn husk craft workshop.
“I was curious and wanted to see how something so easily discarded could be repurposed into something beautiful,” she recalls.
The workshop introduced her to the art of transforming husks into delicate flowers, coasters, confetti, and wall decorations—a craft that soon became more than just a fleeting interest.
What started as a simple exploration of curiosity quickly evolved into something greater. As she honed her skills, Felorince found herself not only preserving nature but also carving a unique path for herself—one where sustainability meets creativity.
Today, her handcrafted pieces do more than just breathe new life into what was once considered waste; they also serve as a steady source of income, proving that sometimes, innovation lies in the most unexpected places.
Speaking from Kampung Tonsom, Kota Marudu, in a Zoom interview, Lunsin says she has been working with Kota Marudu-based social enterprise Corn Husk Craft (CHC) since 2022, and is now its chief designer, overseeing floral arrangements and developing new design concepts.
Like other crafters of CHC, the mother of two creates the flowers from home and sells her artwork to boost her family’s finances.
“I use the extra income to buy household items, food for my children, and to save,” says the Universiti Malaysia Sabah graduate, whose children are aged five and seven.
Empowering rural women
The workshop that Lunsin attended was organised by Tressie Yap – architect, artist and founder of Upcycled Shack, a Kota Kinabalu-based social enterprise which makes products from waste materials, and Farni Millis, 42, founder of CHC.
Founded three years ago, CHC is a programme designed to empower rural women from farming communities in Kota Marudu through repurposing agricultural waste.
Over the past three years, Millis and Yap have organised more than 20 corn husk craft workshops around the area. As a result, 20 women from five villages in Kota Marudu have joined the upcycling project.
Thanks to this initiative, these women can earn anything between MYR300 and MYR500 each month.
Within the same duration, CHC has raked up over MYR65,000 in sales, selling handcrafted items like flowers, baskets, dolls, Christmas wreaths, ketupat decoration and coasters made from corn husk.
Flowers remain their bestsellers, and to date, they have crafted close to 10,000 flowers, such as roses, tulips, carnations and arum lilies.
Besides promoting their products on Instagram, these homemakers have also showcased their work at exhibitions in Kota Kinabalu, engaging with visitors about the production process and actively marketing their creations.
Since 2022, over 200kg of corn husk have been repurposed and saved from being thrown and burnt, all thanks to CHC.
Corn husk florists
A mother of four, Millis used to sell roasted peanuts from home but wanted a more sustainable way to earn an income.
Inspired by the success of other home-based crafters, Millis saw an opportunity to not only enhance her own life, but also help other women in her community.
“Many women in Kota Marudu are like me – housewives with small businesses selling farm produce from home. We work hard to support our families, but the income from our small businesses is not always enough.
“It is a daily struggle, and that’s why finding new opportunities, like the corn husk craft project, is such a blessing. It gives us a chance to earn more, be financially independent and improve our families’ lives,” says Millis.
To improve her skills in managing a social enterprise, Millis has also attended several online courses on business management and finance.
Millis keeps CHC running smoothly by keeping the business process simple and practical. The women involved in the project source corn husks directly from local markets, where vendors are more than happy to give them away instead of discarding them as waste.
At the women’s homes, the husks are carefully washed to remove dirt. The next step, which is an essential part of the craft, involves dyeing the husks using food colouring.
They are then boiled for a period of time to allow the absorption the colours, imbuing the husk with vibrant hues. The husks would later be shaped into flowers and other decorative items.
After the dyed husks have been dried, the women craft them into flowers, working at their own pace, depending on customers’ orders.
This flexible working arrangement allows them to balance household responsibilities while earning an income. They are paid based on the number of flowers they create – between MYR2.40 and MYR8 per stalk – depending on the type, size and colour (plain or coloured) of the flowers.
“This way, the women can work from home and produce as many flowers as they can manage. Some women are able to make dozens a week, while others take on fewer orders to fit their schedule. The most important thing is that they can have an additional stream of income,” says Millis.
For inspiration and design ideas, they rely on their creativity along with tutorials from YouTube and other online platforms.
Millis has also streamlined the selling process. She collaborates with local craft stores, online platforms and eco-conscious businesses to market these handcrafted flowers.
Some customers purchase them for home decor, while others order in bulk for events like weddings or as corporate gifts.
“By keeping the business model simple, we can focus on quality and sustainability. The women don’t need large capital or expensive materials – they just need to give time, patience and their creativity. Most importantly, this model ensures that they can earn an income while managing their household responsibilities,” Millis concludes.
