MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia recognised for sustainable retail efforts at Asian Innovation Excellence Awards 2025

The Indonesian retail chain was lauded for its eco-friendly initiatives and sustainable retail strategies.

MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia was named the winner of the Indonesia Green Innovation of the Year - Retail category at the Asian Innovation Excellence Awards 2025 for its Circular Re-Use of Carton Packaging Waste initiative.

The project introduced a practical reuse model that repurposes discarded carton materials from its warehouse operations into protective partitions for product shipments.

The warehouse maintenance team developed a cutting machine that converts discarded cartons into uniform partitions suitable for transport. The equipment was designed and built in-house, allowing a consistent supply of recycled materials without the need for third-party technology.

This process has been absorbed into routine warehouse activity, supported by dedicated staff who oversee collection, cutting, and application. The method allows waste materials to re-enter the logistics chain in a practical form, providing better protection for products in transit whilst streamlining operational flow.

From March to August 2025, MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia recorded a 19.4% decrease in product damage compared with the same period the previous year. The company also achieved financial savings of more than IDR835m. During this period, 21.7 tonnes of carton waste were reused internally, cutting damage-related losses to about IDR3.4b from IDR4.2b. The figures demonstrate that material reuse can support both sustainability and operational goals when integrated effectively into supply systems.

MR.D.I.Y. Indonesia plans to strengthen this sustainability initiative by extending the process to additional warehouses and upgrading the cutting system to handle higher volumes. The long-term goal is to minimise reliance on virgin packaging materials whilst maintaining efficiency across its distribution network.

The Asian Innovation Excellence Awards honours companies that achieve measurable outcomes and address key challenges through innovation and operational improvement, recognising initiatives that drive meaningful progress across diverse industries in the region.

The Asian Innovation Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review. To view the full list of winners, click here. For more information on the awards programme, you may contact Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum at (+65) 3158 1386 ext 242 or at [email protected].