Change Makers 05: Honest Made
In Lombok, Indonesia, plastic waste has long been an unavoidable reality. With no formal recycling system in place, communities have been left to dump, burn, or bury their waste forced to shoulder an environmental burden they didn’t create.
For years, the island’s stunning coastlines and quiet villages have existed alongside growing piles of single-use plastic. But out of that challenge, a new kind of story is being written, one built on community, craftsmanship, and real solutions.
Source: https://honest-made.co/
Turning Problems Into Possibility
Founded by Tom Jackson and Lachie Armstrong, Honest Made began with a shared belief: that real progress starts when people closest to the problem are given the right tools to lead change.
Tom had spent years working in Indonesia’s waste sector, seeing firsthand where systems broke down and who was left behind. Lachie, a trained carpenter, brought a practical, hands-on approach rooted in building things that last. Together, they saw an opportunity to reimagine how waste could be managed from the ground up.
Their first project started humbly: transforming a rundown futsal court in Kuta, South Lombok, into something entirely new. That abandoned court became Lombok’s first recycling and manufacturing centre, a place where plastic waste could be collected, sorted, and transformed into new products. More importantly, it became a space that created jobs, restored dignity, and sparked hope for sustainable change within the community.
Source: https://honest-made.co/
Community at the Centre
What makes Honest Made stand out isn’t just its recycling operation, it’s the philosophy behind it. Rather than importing foreign systems or solutions, they focus on building from within, creating local infrastructure that’s designed to last. Every step, from collection to production, involves and empowers local people.
This approach doesn’t just reduce pollution; it creates livelihoods, skills, and pride. It’s proof that sustainability can be both socially and economically empowering when done thoughtfully.
Today, Honest Made is more than a recycling facility, it’s a working blueprint for Southeast Asia. Their Lombok factory demonstrates what’s possible when waste is seen not as an endpoint, but as a resource. By manufacturing products directly from recycled materials, they’re closing the loop between consumption and creation.
The goal isn’t just to clean up Lombok; it’s to inspire other regions to replicate the model, turning local waste challenges into local industries of purpose.
Source: https://honest-made.co/
Shared Values, Shared Vision
At Topiku, we’ve always believed that sustainability starts with integrity, doing things the right way, not the easy way. That’s why stories like Honest Made resonate deeply with us. Like our own journey with recycled materials and responsible craftsmanship, their work reminds us that impact happens when people choose to build something honest and something that lasts.
Because real change doesn’t arrive overnight. It’s built slowly, carefully, from the ground up.
