PNM's RE3 For-E Drives Benefit Chain for Laundry Customers, Beyond Reducing Clothing Waste

Behind piles of unused clothing, there is always a new possibility to create value. Clothing that previously sat unused in wardrobes can, through the right movement, regain its worth—not only for donation recipients but also for the small entrepreneurs involved in the process.

This is the spirit presented by PT Permende Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) through the RE3 For-E programme: Reduce, Re-love, Restyle for Environment, Economy, Empowerment, and Education. Carrying the message “From the Unused, There is a Growing Impact,” this movement is part of the 27th anniversary celebrations of PNM, serving as an invitation for PNM employees to recognise that unused items can serve as the beginning of new benefits.

Through RE3 For-E, PNM connects environmental concern with economic empowerment. The collected wearable clothing is not immediately distributed; instead, it undergoes a process of washing, tidying, and curation to ensure it is returned in a more presentable condition. In this process, PNM involves PNM Mekaar customers who operate laundry businesses as part of the programme’s benefit chain.

A total of 17 tonnes of wearable clothing have been successfully collected from various PNM regions across Indonesia. More than 270 PNM Mekaar customers running laundry businesses were involved in washing and tidying the donated clothes before they were distributed to communities in need. This involvement serves as evidence that environmental movements can run alongside economic opportunities that directly benefit ultra-micro entrepreneurs.

For these laundry customers, RE3 For-E is more than just a social activity. The programme provides a space to participate in acts of kindness while simultaneously providing additional income for their businesses. Through the process of washing and tidying the clothes, there is a sense of pride as their small businesses become part of a broader social benefit.

Anjar Sifa Maulidia, a PNM customer who owns a laundry business, expressed that her involvement in the RE3 For-E programme has provided a meaningful experience for both herself and her business. “We are happy to be involved in PNM’s RE3 For-E programme. We help wash and tidy the collected clothing before it is distributed to those in need. In addition to earning extra income from this programme, we also feel proud to be part of such a social action,” she said.