Running 1,200km for Indonesia's Rivers; Why We're Backing Sungai Watch's Run for Rivers
At Topiku, we have always believed that impact doesn't stop at the product. The hats we make are one part of a larger commitment to the people who make them, to the communities around them, and to the ecosystems that surround us all. That is why our Changemakers Program exists: to direct a portion of our revenue toward organizations doing real, measurable environmental work on the ground.
Sungai Watch is one of those organizations. And right now, their co-founders Gary, Kelly, and Sam Bencheghib are doing something that deserves every bit of attention we can help direct toward it.
They are running 1,200 kilometers across Indonesia. From Bali to Jakarta. 57 days. On foot.
Not for sport. For the rivers.
The goal is to raise $1 million with every single dollar going directly toward removing one kilogram of plastic from Indonesia's rivers before it reaches the ocean. At the time of writing, that campaign is live at runforrivers.sungaiwatch.com, and it needs support.
Credit: Sungai Watch
Why rivers, and why now
Java is the most populated island on Earth, and its rivers carry one of the world's highest concentrations of plastic waste. The plastic that ends up in the ocean does not arrive there all at once, it travels. It moves from streets to drains, from drains to rivers, and from rivers to the sea. Stopping it means intervening before it makes that journey, and that means going to the source.
Sungai Watch does this through a network of river trash barriers, physical structures that intercept plastic before it flows further downstream. Every kilogram that gets caught and removed is a kilogram that never reaches the ocean. Their model is transparent and verified: every piece of collected trash is tracked through their barrier technology and community cleanup data.
Gary, Kelly, and Sam are not running to raise awareness in the abstract. They are running to fund real infrastructure, new barriers, expanded sorting facilities, and deeper community mobilization across Java's river systems. The route passes through every major city and rural community along the way, building visibility and local momentum as they go.
Our Founder, Monty and Sam from Sungai Watch
What this has to do with a hat
Here is the honest version: the plastic problem that Sungai Watch is fighting is the same problem that our industry contributes to if it is not careful. Cheap, disposable merchandise made fast, shipped in bulk, worn once, and discarded ends up somewhere. Often in the wrong place.
At Topiku, we try to reduce that chain of harm from the start: by making things that last, using materials that are recycled or upcycled, and working with partners like Sungai Watch who are doing the harder work of cleaning up what the rest of the industry leaves behind.
Recently, we contributed $1,000 USD to support the Run for Rivers campaign.
Topiku was founded on the value of responsible waste management. Healthy rivers are vital to healthy communities, ecosystems, and oceans, and we’re grateful to support the people doing the consistent, often unseen work to protect them.
Sungai Watch’s Run for Rivers at Finish Line
How to support
Visit runforrivers.sungaiwatch.com. Every $1 removes 1 kg of plastic from Indonesia's rivers. You can donate in USD or IDR (via Saweria). USD donations are tax-deductible.
If you are a brand that cares about where your footprint ends up, not just where your products come from, this is one of the most direct places to put that care into practice.
Gary, Kelly, and Sam are already running. The rivers are waiting.
