It began with a simple conversation over kopi in mamak restaurant. Someone mentioned a beautifully made local product. The name didn’t ring a bell. It should have. That silence said everything.
It wasn’t an isolated case. There were dozens. Products made with care, rooted in heritage, proudly Malaysian yet rarely visible. They lived in WhatsApp groups, flea markets, pop-ups, maybe a boutique shelf tucked out of sight. Sometimes only on Instagram, quietly posted, barely seen.
Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
The work existed. The attention didn’t. And yet, we’re surrounded by proof that Malaysian brands can and do, make it. Look at the global presence of Bonia, the cult following behind Pestle & Mortar Clothing, the export success of Julie’s Biscuits and OldTown White Coffee, or how Khairul Aming turned homegrown recipes into a household brand through honesty, hustle, and sambal. These names didn’t just build businesses; they built trust, taste, and identity.
That’s why we started GetBuatan.
Not to romanticize the idea of “local,” but to understand it. Whether it’s a small business testing ideas or a national name building on legacy, we want to know what drives it. Why some stories spread and others stall. What’s holding them back. What pushes them forward.
GetBuatan isn’t a marketplace. It’s not an ad space. It’s an editorial platform that gives context to what’s being made here. We talk to the people behind the brands. We unpack the process, not just the product. We offer reviews, not hype. We treat culture with curiosity, and business with care.
We cover:
Profiles that look beyond a founder’s bio what shaped the person behind the work
Features on small-batch makers and household names alike
Stories on how design, culture, and commerce intersect
Product reviews that focus on function, feel, and the story behind the object
Malaysia has always been a place of making. Not just factories, but hands-on making. Food, textiles, tech. From hawkers to coders, seamstresses to studio founders. Some brands are scaling up. Others are just starting out. Both deserve to be seen.
There’s no neat definition of “local.” It shows up in high-end shops and roadside stalls. It’s in the sambal your aunt bottles and the streetwear your friend just launched. We’re not here to draw a line, we’re here to trace the shapes.
It’s easy to tune out when ‘support local’ feels like just another slogan. Overused, under-explained, and often left hanging without context. But behind the repetition is a real concern, people want to feel connected to what they buy, and they want to know that connection means something. Local shouldn’t be treated as a fleeting campaign. It should be understood as a habit, a lens, a way of recognizing value that’s always been here, just not always seen.
That said, we recognize and deeply respect the many movements, communities, and initiatives that have carried this message forward long before it became trendy. From independent efforts like #SapotLokal to state-backed initiatives and long-standing government programs like Kempen Beli Barangan Malaysia, the groundwork has been laid. These are the efforts that reminded us to look inward, to value what’s ours, and to believe that Malaysian-made can stand tall. We’re not here to reinvent that but we’re here to build on it, and to keep the conversation moving.
So we take our time. We ask better questions. And we tell the story fully.
If you’re here to read, we hope something resonates. If you’re building something, we hope this feels like a place that recognizes the work.
So take a look. This is what Malaysian-made really looks like. And to all the movements, collectives, and communities who’ve been championing local craftsmanship, design, and innovation long before it was a trend.. we see you, we salute you, and we build on the paths you’ve carved.
