Annual Report
2025
The Future is Handmade
Our Mission
The Future is Handmade: In a postindustrial world, craft helps us translate the material and social ruins of capitalism into new human oriented futures.
Our Mission: To improve social welfare through craft by building a sustainable, transparent, and economically just ecosystem for makers.
Community Power: Founded in 2022, we have grown from a small private studio to a public organization with ~100 monthly members and 4 full-time staff.
Nonprofit Ethic: As a nonprofit, all revenue is reinvested into lowering prices for the public or improving service quality. We are primarily self-funded to retain our organisation’s autonomy.
Financial Transparency
Revenue Growth: Revenue grew by 94% in 2025, reaching RM336,086.62.
Where the Money Goes: Primary expenses include salaries (31.6%), rent (28.6%), and materials/equipment (20.9%).
Low Pricing: While market overdemand exists, we have the lowest price for highest facilities in Malaysia. While it may not look good on paper, lowering cost is part of our mission success.
Fair Salaries: We use your funds responsibly while paying workers fairly. Our average monthly salaries range from RM3,300 for craftworkers to RM4,000 for program officers.
Liabilities: We are looking to pay down total unpaid salary debts of roughly RM150,000 to co-founders Chern and Jamie.
2025 Highlights
Retail Growth: We established partnerships with 7 new stores, including selling over RM15,000 in just stools at Unplug in Bangsar.
Member Community: Onboarded 258 new members and averaged 95 members per month throughout the year.
4 Major Programs: Apprenticeship, Youth Outreach, Pottery Trip, and Ruang Awam
Education & Events: Hosted 27 events for over 550 participants, including 18 free workshops such as "Handbuilding Ceramic Christmas Trees".
Apprenticeship Success: Our first woodworking apprentice, Dev, completed his one-year training and joined the team permanently.
2026+ Goals
Scaling Craft Sales: Moving from membership-driven revenue toward scalable craft product sales and ethical wholesaling.
New Programs: Launching a large-scale Pottery Apprenticeship for 10 potters, "Means to Repair" days, Exhibitions, and Fellowship Programs.
Anti-Consumerist Initiatives: Introducing a "Buy Back" program for our products to encourage refurbishment and secondary market access.
Permanent Home: Our goal is to purchase a property to secure the studio's long-term future.
Program Report
Friends Craft Coop is a Chthulu, a organisation with many arms. As a Balai Seni Rakyat, we provide material, social, and legal infrastructures for individuals to path through Craft.
1. Core Programs & Services
Recreational Membership: The Coop onboarded 258 new members in 2025, maintaining an average of approximately 90–95 members monthly.
Space Expansion: The pottery zone was increased by roughly 50% through the addition of a "green room" and glaze extension.
Events & Workshops: A total of 27 events were held for over 550 participants. This included 18 free teaching workshops and 6 paid classes led by external professionals like Two Potters and Clay Loo.
Woodworking Transition: Due to high risks and costs, recreational access to the wood space was closed and consolidated only for long-term members.
Ruang Awam: In the spirit of how we began, Friends Craft Coop offers free space to the public for community events. In 2025, this is utilised for an indigo dyeing workshop and a weekly book club.
2. Social Impact & Accessibility
Sliding Scale Pricing: 13% of members utilize subsidized B40 memberships, while 8% contribute as T20 members. The Coop maintains a policy of never turning down true B40 applicants.
Inclusion: Operations and language were tailored in 2025 to be more accessible across diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.
3. Vocational Training & Professional Support
Apprenticeships: The first woodworking apprentice, Dev, completed a one-year program and was hired as a permanent staff member in March 2025.
Youth Outreach: A five-week woodworking program was conducted for undocumented and at-risk youth from Arus Academy, supported by a RM3,000 Change Microgrant.
Friends Craft Fair: This low-risk marketplace caps booth fees at 20% (up to RM150) to absorb risk for makers. It was redesigned in 2025 with an "IKEA-style" layout to ensure equitable foot traffic for all booths.
4. Knowledge Sharing & Ecosystem Building
Industry Connections: The Coop actively connects artists to suppliers and networks, collaborating with studios such as Tao Yi Studio, Minyue Pottery, and Vitamin C Crafts.
Educational Trips: A three-day trip to Minyue Pottery Studio was organized in December 2025, with 100% of revenue going directly to the master potters to support the Mingei craft philosophy.