Mamashop - engaging in environmental education to promote a circular economy.
“True impact comes from collective efforts, where individuals, businesses, and communities take small but meaningful steps towards a greener future.”
1. What does Mamashop do?
MamaShop is a homegrown eco-lifestyle brand that transforms agricultural waste into stylish, reusable products, encouraging a more sustainable way of living. MamaShop offers a range of lifestyle essentials, dining ware, and kids' products made from coffee grounds, rice husk fibre, wheat fibre, and bamboo. Often discarded as waste, these materials are repurposed into durable, sustainable and practical alternatives like water bottles, lunch boxes, and reusable straws, reducing the need for single-use plastics.
2. What inspired you to create Mamashop?
MamaShop, a homegrown Singaporean eco-lifestyle brand by Vanessa Ong was launched in 2015. Branching out of her business in Gernise Global, MamaShop was born out of a mother’s love for her children and a concern for the quality of life of our future generations. The idea of making sustainable and environmentally friendly products more accessible locally, grew out of Vanessa’s own journey of searching for safer, sustainable and good dinning ware options for her young children, leading to the start of yet another business venture in the eco space. Giving waste a second life for the new lives.
3. What is your approach towards sustainability?
Determined to make sustainability an accessible and stylish choice, I created MamaShop as a practical solution for eco-conscious consumers. Beyond offering sustainable products, the brand actively promotes education and awareness through community workshops, school partnerships, and sustainability talks, advocating a shift towards mindful consumption.
Sustainability is a long-term commitment that goes beyond just words—it requires consistent action and mindful choices. True impact comes from collective efforts, where individuals, businesses, and communities take small but meaningful steps towards a greener future. Every action, no matter how small, contributes to a larger movement, proving that sustainability isn’t just an ideal—it’s a way of life that we build together
4. Can you highlight a specific project or initiative that showcases your commitment to sustainability? (i.e. success story)
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we actively encourage businesses and communities to adopt practical eco-friendly habits, and one initiative we’re particularly proud of is the BYO (Bring Your Own) movement. We’ve worked with many corporates to implement this concept, but one of our biggest success stories was our BYO Mug campaign at Singapore Polytechnic (SP).
We collaborated with SP to encourage students and staff to bring their own mugs in exchange for a free oat milk drink. The turnout was overwhelming, with participants bringing all kinds of creative mugs—showing that sustainability can be both fun and impactful. What truly inspired us was learning that many continued the habit even after the campaign ended, proving that small nudges can lead to lasting behavior change.
Beyond that, SP’s lecturers and staff took it a step further by ordering close to 500 customized lunchboxes for their own use. Instead of relying on disposable takeaway containers, they’ve been using these eco-friendly lunchboxes at the campus canteen, setting an example for students by walking the talk. Seeing an institution embrace and integrate sustainable habits so effectively reinforces our belief that real change starts with simple, everyday actions—and we’re excited to keep pushing for more initiatives like this!"
5. Why is sustainability important to you personally?
Motherhood has changed my perspective on many things, especially sustainability. It made me more aware of the kind of world we are leaving behind for our children. Everything I do now isn't just for myself—it's for the next generation. I want to sow the seeds of change today so that our children can grow up in a world that values sustainability as a way of life, not just a trend.
Seeing my own kids learn about reducing waste, reusing resources, and making conscious choices reminds me that small actions today create a lasting impact tomorrow. My hope is that by integrating sustainability into our daily lives—through our products, education, and initiatives—we can inspire more people to take responsibility for the environment. If we all play our part now, the next generation will inherit a healthier, more sustainable world. That, to me, is the most meaningful legacy we can leave behind.
6. Can you share the story of how you or your company began your sustainability journey?
The first real step my colleagues and I took toward sustainability was sparked by an unforgettable moment seven years ago when our very first intern joined us. One day, we went out to buy lunch and returned with a pile of single-use packaging. Seeing the amount of waste we had accumulated, she was visibly emotional—almost in tears. She was only 17 years old, yet she had the courage to ask if we could bring our own containers next time to reduce waste.
That was a wake-up call for us. If someone so young could be so mindful and conscious about sustainability, there was absolutely no excuse for us not to do better. That moment changed not just me, but my entire team’s mindset. Since then, we’ve made a conscious effort to bring our own containers when packing food, reducing our reliance on single-use packaging. It started as a small action, but over time, it became a habit—a way of life.
Her awareness and conviction inspired real change within our company, proving that sometimes, the simplest actions can spark the biggest transformations. Sustainability isn’t just about policies or big movements; it starts with personal responsibility and small, consistent efforts. That lesson has stayed with us, and it continues to drive our commitment to making sustainability second nature in everything we do
7. What are your future goals?
My future goal is to push the boundaries of sustainability by developing innovative products made from an even wider variety of waste materials. We’ve already transformed coffee grounds, rice husk fiber, wheat fiber, and bamboo into reusable lifestyle products, but there’s still so much untapped potential in other waste streams.
I want to explore new materials that would otherwise end up in landfills—such as fruit peels, seashell waste, textile scraps, and plant-based bioplastics—and find ways to repurpose them into functional, stylish, and sustainable products. Beyond just creating sustainable alternatives, my goal is to redefine waste as a valuable resource and inspire a shift in consumer mindset.
8. Any last comments that you would like to include?
Sustainability is not a solo journey—it is a collective responsibility that requires both consumers and corporations to take action together. Consumers play a crucial role by making conscious choices, while businesses have the power to drive large-scale change through innovation and responsible practices.
For real impact, we need everyone on board—individuals embracing small but meaningful habits, corporations integrating sustainability into their operations, and communities working together to create a more sustainable ecosystem. When businesses provide sustainable alternatives and consumers actively choose them, we create a ripple effect that leads to long-term change.
It’s not about perfection, but progress. Every small step—whether it’s choosing reusable products, reducing waste, or supporting sustainable brands—contributes to a bigger movement. When we come together with a shared vision for a greener future, sustainability becomes more than just an idea; it becomes a way of life.