Semula

What Semula does

Semula is a Singapore-incorporated social enterprise (Semula Pte. Ltd.) that upcycles discarded Type 2 HDPE plastic—primarily milk bottles, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles, and plastic bags—into handcrafted products. Its core processing pipeline sorts, cleans, and presses the plastic into new forms that are then used to create items such as Semula Stackables ($150), Plaques and Award Trophies (from $75), Clipboards ($28), Plant Pots ($10), Soap Dishes ($8), and Carabiners ($5), alongside bespoke furniture and branded corporate gifts produced with designers. The company's go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce shop at semula-asia.com/shop, supplemented by enquiry-based custom orders for enterprise customers.

Semula monetizes across four streams: product sales, hands-on upcycling workshops (including customised sessions for organisations), educational talks on environmental topics such as Climate Change, the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and the Zero Waste Master Plan, and guided nature trails. Its target segments are horizontal: individuals interested in sustainability who purchase products or attend experiences, and businesses seeking eco-friendly corporate gifts, team workshops, and bespoke furniture. Distribution is Singapore-only, conducted through the DTC storefront, custom orders via a contact form and [email protected], and in-person workshops, talks, and trails conducted domestically. The company operates from a single small office at 153 Kampong Ampat #04-02, Singapore, has no disclosed external funding, no management team listed, and no patent or trademark portfolio. Its ecosystem includes collaborations and inspirational ties with Roger&Sons, Precious Plastic, Rebricks, NParks, and sustainability advocate Ken Hickson.

Name

Semula

Legal name

Semula Pte. Ltd.

Website

https://semula-asia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Semula is a Singapore-based social enterprise that upcycles discarded HDPE plastic into handcrafted products (Stackables, Plaques, Clipboards, home accessories) and bespoke corporate gifts and furniture, while running upcycling workshops, educational talks, and nature trails for individuals and businesses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycled Plastic Products

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

Keywords

• Plastic recycling services
• Recycled plastic products
• Upcycling workshops
• Sustainability education
• Eco-friendly corporate gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of recycled plastic products including furniture, home accessories, corporate gifts, and novelties. Products range from small items like Carabiners ($5) and Soap Dishes ($8) to larger items like Plaques ($75+) and Semula Stackables ($150).
2. Workshops: Hands-on upcycling and sustainability workshops teaching participants how to recycle plastic waste properly and transform it into meaningful memorabilia.
3. Educational Talks: Environmental awareness talks covering topics like Climate Change, Singapore Green Plan 2030, Zero Waste Master Plan, and waste management. Sessions typically run 60-90 minutes with Q&A.
4. Custom Product Orders: Bespoke products made to order working with designers to craft furniture and branded corporate gifts from recycled plastic materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Semula is a Singapore-based social enterprise that transforms plastic waste—primarily Type 2 HDPE from milk bottles, shampoo bottles, detergent bottles, and plastic bags—into reusable materials and handcrafted products such as furniture, home accessories, and bespoke corporate gifts. It complements this recycling-to-product service with educational programmes including hands-on upcycling workshops, customised organisational workshops, environmental talks, and guided nature trails.

Product overview

Semula is a plastic recycling social enterprise in Singapore that operates as a multi-service offering consisting of its core Semula Plastic service (transforming plastic waste into reusable materials and crafted products), complemented by educational services including Upcycling Workshops, Customised Workshops, Semula Talks on environmental topics, and Semula Trails nature experiences. The company also offers a product line of recycled plastic items sold through its shop, including home accessories (Semula Stackables, soap dishes, plant pots), office products (clipboards, plaques), and lifestyle items (tote bags, carabiners, coasters). All products are handmade from recycled type 2 plastics (HDPE), primarily sourced from milk bottles, shampoo bottles, and plastic bags.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Semula Plastic Core service that turns plastic waste into reusable material and works with designers to craft bespoke furniture and branded corporate gifts.
• Upcycling Workshops Hands-on workshops showing participants how to recycle plastic waste properly and transform their own plastic waste into meaningful memorabilia through creative methods.
• Customised Workshops Tailored workshop sessions designed to meet specific organisational or group needs for plastic recycling education and hands-on upcycling activities.
• Semula Talks Educational talks for individuals and organisations covering environmental topics including climate change, the Singapore Green Plan 2030, Zero Waste Master Plan, and sustainable practices. Sessions typically run 60–90 minutes with Q&A.
• Semula Trails Guided nature trail experiences through Singapore's parks and nature reserves led by eco-guides, connecting participants with local flora and fauna and biodiversity stories.
• Bespoke Furniture and Corporate Gifts Made-to-order bespoke products and branded corporate gifts crafted from recycled plastic materials, commissioned via direct enquiry and produced in collaboration with designers.
• Carabiner Recycled plastic carabiner accessory priced at $5.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Soap Dish Recycled plastic soap dish priced at $8.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Mini Plant Pot Recycled plastic mini plant pot priced at $10.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Tissue Pouch Recycled plastic tissue pouch priced from $5.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Black Tote Bag and Utility Pouch Recycled plastic tote bag and utility pouch combo priced from $10.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Plaques and Award Trophies Custom plaques and award trophies made from recycled plastic, priced from $75.00, primarily intended for corporate gifting and recognition use.
• Drinks Coasters Drinks coasters made from recycled plastic, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop.
• Customised Letters and Numbers Custom recycled plastic letters and numbers available by enquiry, typically used for signage and decorative branding.
• Semula Clipboards Recycled plastic clipboard priced at $28.00, sold through the Semula e-commerce shop for office and event use.
• Semula Stackables Versatile building blocks crafted from recycled Type 2 HDPE plastic sourced primarily from milk bottles, shampoo bottles, and plastic bags. Handmade, pressed, and cut to order. Priced at $150.00.

Quantifiable outcome

• Transforms over 100kg of discarded plastic waste into practical items

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Roger&Sons / The Local Tree ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoger&Sons is a team of ethical makers creating bespoke fine furniture. Their Local Tree Project is a sustainability initiative that salvages trees felled for urban development and turns them into durable furniture. Semula lists them among inspiring organisations they work with in their sustainability ecosystem.
• Precious PlasticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrecious Plastic was Semula's initial inspiration, showing how plastic waste can be converted into beautiful creations. Their open-source project demonstrated that with imagination and determination, waste can be turned into something useful.
• RebricksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo women entrepreneurs in Indonesia who turn rejected and hard-to-recycle food packaging into paving bricks. Listed among Semula's inspiring stories and organisations in their sustainability ecosystem.
• National Parks Board (NParks)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingapore's National Parks Board is dedicated to transforming Singapore into a City in Nature, maintaining parks and nature reserves. Listed among Semula's inspiring stories about sustainability and environmental stewardship.
• Ken HicksonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthor, advocate, advisor and champion of sustainability committed to spreading the sustainability message through words and action. Listed among Semula's inspiring stories.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that collects ocean-bound plastic and exchanges it for income, then reprocesses into products; comparable mission, scale, and circular-economy positioning.
• Bionic: Brand that upcycles coastal plastic waste into durable bags, accessories, and home goods, with a comparable product mix and ESG-driven storytelling.
• Roger & Sons: Singapore bespoke furniture maker with sustainability focus (Local Tree Project); Semula lists them as a partner, and they share a comparable artisan-craft, design-collaboration model.
• Gomi: UK design studio turning waste plastic bags and other flexible plastics into bags, accessories, and homeware—same feedstock challenge and product-channel approach as Semula.
• EcoBirdy: Belgium-based design brand that transforms discarded plastic into children's furniture and toys, closely comparable to Semula's handmade recycled plastic product line.
• Precious Plastic: Global open-source community and movement for plastic waste recycling into products; cited by Semula as its initial inspiration and a direct comparable in the plastic-upcycling space.

Broad incumbents

• TerraCycle: Global recycling platform addressing hard-to-recycle waste streams; operates at far larger scale and offers overlapping capabilities relevant to Semula's circular-economy proposition.

Regional players

• Rebricks: Indonesia-based female-founded social enterprise converting hard-to-recycle plastic packaging into paving bricks; directly comparable as a regional Southeast Asian plastic-upcycling peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SemulaAsia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/semula-pte-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/semula_asia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Semula