ONG SUAN YEAN 28

Co-Founder, terrae

Despite holding a full-time job in the tech industry, Suan finds time to focus on the brand she co-founded. Before landing on her current jobs, the food science and nutrition graduate veered off course immediately after graduation – much to her parents’ dismay, she jokes – and started working in a variety of roles including operations, marketing and eventually strategy.

“I enjoy my work and find it fulfilling, but I’d always wanted to create and build a brand that we could be proud of, and I’ve been so lucky to have found a talented partner in Azalea to be able to do this with. terrae is a sustainable activewear brand centered around our 4 core principles — Planet, People, Partnerships and Product. We believe that everyone can work out, look good, and feel great with minimal impact on the planet,” says Suan.

The idea for the brand came about when the two friends were on their way to a post-workout lunch and their car ride turned into a conversation about wanting to make a difference in areas they felt strongly about — sustainability, fitness and fashion.

“We observed that sustainable fashion was a growing trend in Asia, but when it came to activewear specifically, there were no real options that aligned with our values, and this was a gap we wanted to plug. Our longterm vision is to be the new standard for sustainable fashion—not just in Asia, but all around the world.”