The family behind Santuun: (from left) Munirah, Alya and Muaz (All photos:Sam Fong/The Edge)
Santuun by Munirah Abdul Rahman and Abu Muaz was a pandemic project conceived not from the desire to establish a business. It started when the first-time parents were searching for something they could do as a family.
“We were at home a lot and that period made us realise how much we enjoyed each other’s company. We wanted to have an activity where each of us would be able to contribute — so I could do one thing, Muaz could do another, and [seven-year-old daughter] Alya could also be part of it. That’s how Santuun was born,” says Munirah.
The former lecturers then decided to come up with family-oriented utility products to address some of the problems they experienced themselves.
“In the beginning, we were looking at many possibilities, and we created the Flipper cap to solve some of the issues we encountered whenever we went out with Alya.
“We wanted to take Alya to the zoo but could not find the right hat for her. Then we looked up templates on the internet and modified the style to include a pocket.
We made this during the pandemic, so it also has buttons on the side to accommodate a face mask because we noticed Alya didn’t feel comfortable wearing the face cover and having the elastic bands around her ears.”
The Flipper cap is reversible, adjustable and foldable. “Kids grow up very fast. Not all products made for them can grow with them. We invented this to give them something they can wear for years to come,” says Munirah.
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Their next bright spark comes in the form of a backpack. “We were highly inspired by parents who always reach for the tote bags to put everything in. That’s where the idea came from — how the item is being used, and that it is suitable to hold all kinds of objects.”
Combo Carry is an elevated version of the carrier. It is handy and functional for daily use, equipped with a lot of pockets and partitions to help with organisation. Every trip out of the comfort of their home, especially with their little one, was a learning experience to discover what they required to make their city or countryside excursion fuss-free.
“Whenever we go out with Alya, we find out what it is that we need from a bag that will make our day-to-day activities easy and convenient. There needs to be a water bottle holder and spaces to keep her snacks. As parents, we want somewhere we can put our car keys and other essentials like a wallet as well.”
Developing the Combo Carry backpack was not easy. “It was time-consuming because we were doing research on the features that would benefit both parents and children, and we would go back to our sketches every time we felt we could add or remove anything,” Munirah says.
“And because we don’t know much about product design and fashion, our focus is really on practicality and elements that bring value,” Muaz adds, expressing their admiration for Japanese design which places a strong emphasis on practicality, functionality and purpose. “They like to keep the aesthetics simple and straightforward. So that is our reference.”
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With this new idea, it was time they took their sewing skills seriously. Before getting their hands on needle and thread, they put pieces together using paper and tape to craft the prototype. Then, the couple went on to learn each process — including creating patterns, cutting, sewing and assembly — by looking up videos online and asking their seamstress neighbours who were more than happy to help. “We were learning to do everything at the same time. The first model was really like a crash course for us to pick up the basics,” Muaz says.
The initial work was far from perfect. In fact, they had to do multiple revisions to achieve the Combo Carry design we see today. “We were only satisfied with the outcome after the fourth round,” Munirah shares.
The duo opted to use upcycled materials to create the prototype. They made plenty of trips to bundle shops to source for fabrics, apart from using the opportunity to explore fashion in general. “We studied various fabrics and stitches to discover how different techniques suit different textiles,” says Munirah.
After months of research and development, they decided to go with canvas, corduroy and cotton webbing. “Since our products are fully handmade in our home studio, we decided to use materials bought from local suppliers.
“In the beginning, we only used canvas. But as we progressed, we paired the material with corduroy untuk naikkan seri (for extra vibrancy),” says Muaz. The bag is now available in three shades: brown, blue and green. “Customers are welcome to choose the colour combination they desire. They can request for shorter or longer straps too.
We also provide embroidery service to personalise the bags. We want the product to grow with them so we want it to be as bespoke as possible.”
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The first Combo Carry was presented in a small size but there were requests from parents for bigger dimensions. Hence, they decided to roll out a larger version of the backpack, suitable for adults, in July.
“We have built an ecosystem within our offerings whereby the Flipper cap can be attached to the small Combo Carry. Similarly, the small backpack can also be affixed to the big Combo Carry so parents can hold everything without worrying about having too many things in their hands,” Munirah says.
Each product has “a bonding system” that joins one component with another via bamboo straw and cotton webbing loops, a representation of the inseparable connection between parents and children. “We want to encourage togetherness, so we use that element to showcase this value. It also symbolises the weight and responsibilities shared among each family member,” Muaz explains.
As Santuun is essentially a family project, everyone, including Alya (her assignment: chief motivational officer in case mum and dad need a bit of encouragement to fulfil orders), has a role to play. “I cut and sew, Muaz is in charge of creative and marketing matters, while Alya is the one sewing the buttons, apart from keeping us motivated,” Munirah says.
“It is teamwork. She is basically involved in everything that we do and it is what we want so we can keep strengthening the bond between us,” Muaz adds. Having said that, with such a small workforce, they are only able to produce 30 items per batch, requiring about two weeks to complete the bags.
To keep things under control, they are focusing on the three items at the moment. “Our aim is to deliver quality goods and excellent craftsmanship to ensure our customers are happy with the outcome.”
Santuun — meaning polite or well-mannered in Malay — has grown to be a cherished family undertaking. Their goal is to continue communicating strong family values and modest living through their creations and social media platform. “This is our first time being parents, so we really look in detail at what our daughter needs, and we are happy to let her be a part of our journey, as well as those who share the same priorities,” they say.
This article first appeared on Sept 8, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
