SecondLife@UM — A Small Project, Big Heart: 176.2 kg Given a New Home

Sometimes the simplest ideas can have the deepest effects. SecondLife@UM asked the UM community to pass along items that they no longer needed—clothes, books, and small household things—and give them a fresh start with someone else on campus. What began as a modest campus drive quickly became a practical way to reduce waste and help peers.

A quick snapshot

• Total weight collected: 176.195 kg

• Women’s clothing (approx.): 75.45 kg

• Collection period & points: 10–17 September at Kompleks Perdana Siswa (KPS), Rumah No. 2, Kompleks Pengurusan Penyelidikan dan Inovasi (KPPI), and UM Central

• Market days & locations: 18 September (outside UM Library) and 19 September (KK12 Cafeteria)

How it ran

For over seven days, community members dropped off items at four accessible collection points. UMSDC’s small team sorted, tidied, and displayed the donations. On the market days, racks of clothes, stacks of books, and tables of small homeware were set out in well-trafficked spots: outside the library and later at KK12. There was no ticketing system; people browsed and simply took what they needed.

Clear, approachable awareness boards regarding fast fashion and overconsumption were placed throughout the booths to assist visitors in grasping the wider picture. These posters encouraged readers to think differently about purchasing, repairing, and passing things on by providing brief facts and helpful advice rather than lecturing.

On 18 and 19 September, the SecondLife@UM initiative showed how small acts of sharing can spark a big impact. The University of Malaya community united through this semester's collection campaign to donate and redistribute 176.2 kg of pre-owned things, primarily apparel and a variety of books, to ensure they found new homes rather than becoming waste.

Of the total, approximately 75.5 kilograms were women’s clothes, reflecting the generosity of students and staff who cleaned out their wardrobes to support the cause. The items were then set out at two distribution points: the UM Library on 18 September and the KK12 Cafeteria on 19 September. There, students and staff could freely browse and take what they needed.

The response was heartening. Almost all items were successfully matched with new owners. For some, it meant easing the financial burden of buying essentials; for others, it was the joy of discovering quality clothes and books at no cost. In both cases, it demonstrated how a circular approach to consumption can make university life more affordable and more sustainable.

Beyond individual benefit, the impact on the ecosystem is just as essential. SecondLife@UM has contributed to the reduction of textile and paper waste that would otherwise end up in landfills by diverting almost 180 kg of usable materials from disposal. Additionally, it reduces the requirement for new production upstream, which ultimately results in energy, water, and carbon emission savings. This appears straightforward on campus: a cup that finds a new home, a garment that is worn repeatedly, a textbook that is read again. It can have both a practical and a personal influence on the recipient. Given that the global fashion business is one of the biggest sources of waste and pollution, this project shows that even on a campus, group efforts may have a noticeable impact.

Real effects, real people

A student who discovered textbooks they had been putting off purchasing and another who departed with cozy daily attire that allowed them to free up funds for other necessities were just two examples of how the items made a difference, according to several recipients. Instead of spectacle, the free market provided many with relief and dignity.

Conversations were also triggered by the awareness posters. People stopped, read a startling fact, and inquired about further information. The silent seeds of longer-term change are those fleeting interactions—a poster, a query, a contemplation.

What we learned and what’s next

SecondLife@UM showed how modest and well-placed actions can produce tangible returns: material diverted from waste streams, useful items returned to circulation, and small shifts in awareness across campus. The event was intentionally low-fuss and human-scale, run by a tiny team with big intent; that made it nimble and responsive.

We will build on this momentum by exploring permanent or recurring donation points, improving signage, and keeping the awareness conversation alive with short workshops and digital resources. If you would like to donate items next round, share ideas, or learn how to make your own wardrobe and home practices more mindful, please contact the UM Sustainable Development Centre.

Thank you to everyone who donated, browsed, and helped spread the message. SecondLife@UM is proof that sharing what we already have makes campus life kinder and cleaner.