Century-old Malaysian Pewter brand Royal Selangor is forging its timeless legacy

In the tapestry of Malaysia's rich cultural heritage, Royal Selangor has quietly crafted its way into the annals of history as a time-honored brand name. The brand’s journey started 139 years ago in a small mining village in Kuala Lumpur, where a family of tinsmiths made ceremonial items for the local Chinese community’s ancestral altars.

Since then, Royal Selangor has adapted to the tastes of each generation while staying true to the traditional art of pewter-crafting. Blending traditional pewter craftsmanship with contemporary designs, the Malaysian homeware brand has thrived through the test of time, growing to become the world’s largest pewter-maker.

“While Royal Selangor has been around for 139 years and has seen its fair share of change and evolution, we’ve held on to the same passion for good design and craftsmanship,” said Chen Tien Yue, the Executive Director of Royal Selangor Marketing, and the great-grandson of pewtersmith Yong Koon.

Tempering its mettle with time

Born from the hands of a visionary patriarch, Royal Selangor is a homeware brand that spans four generations. The company was founded in 1885 by pewtersmith Yong Koon, who moved to Kuala Lumpur from a Chinese village in the Guangdong province.

Initially named “Selangor Pewter”, the brand was associated with traditional Chinese altar paraphernalia and household items crafted for houses and temples in Kuala Lumpur, such as the Sin Sze Si Ya temple on Petaling Street.

However, at the turn of the 20th century, it pivoted to designing European-style pieces like wine ewers and casserole dishes in response to demand from British and Western expatriates.

As the post-independence era marked a focus on global expansion, Royal Selangor began participating in international gift and tableware fairs and setting up showrooms and offices overseas. The brand’s popularity and emphasis on high quality eventually earned it a royal warrant from the late Sultan of Selangor in 1979, leading to its official name change to “Royal Selangor” in 1992.

Today, Royal Selangor has made its mark on a global stage, with its pewter creations exported to over 20 countries, gracing homes worldwide, from Asia and the Americas to Europe and Scandinavia.

Polishing pewter for different generations 

A metal alloy that consists of tin, copper, antimony, bismuth, and sometimes silver, pewter is a malleable substance with a low melting point, making it the perfect medium for artisans and craftsmen to create intricate designs and details for jewelry, decorative pieces, and kitchenware. Its resistance to corrosion and tarnishing also makes it suitable for heirloom souvenirs that can be passed down through generations.

Polishing pewter for a more contemporary audience, the company has collaborated with leading art and design museums such as the British Museum, award-winning artists like Freeman Lau from Hong Kong, and pop culture icons like Disney. Their services also extend to bespoke pieces, including creating trophies for the Maybank Championship in Malaysia.

“We always want to engage effectively with our customers, across generations,” said Chen. “To that end, we build on our institutional knowledge, and we constantly push the boundaries of contemporary pewter craftsmanship so that every piece we design is relevant to the times,” explained Chen.

Sustainability at its core

With the growing worldwide interest in sustainable products, Royal Selangor has made efforts to improve the sustainability of its operations, imbuing sustainable practices throughout its supply chain, from production to last-mile delivery.

The main material Royal Selangor works with—pewter—is recyclable and does not deteriorate in quality when melted or reshaped. This allows prototypes, discontinued items, and rejects to be melted down and reused in the refinery, minimizing waste in production.

Furthermore, its manufacturing and visitor center operations, including the Royal Selangor Visitor Center are powered using solar panels to generate an average of 3,915 kilowatts of energy daily. Excess energy is exported back to the national grid, keeping in line with the Malaysian government’s renewable energy target of 20 percent by 2025. The brand also utilizes biodegradable packaging for over 80 percent of its products.

Still, Chen and his team were deeply concerned about the brand’s environmental footprint, and wanted to explore additional avenues that could help them build a responsible business ecosystem.

The most pressing sustainability challenge that many companies face at present is reducing the Scope 3 emissions, also known as indirect carbon emissions, that are a consequence of the company’s activities beyond their direct control.

“Sustainability is integral to the long-term viability of our business, and we are happy to work with long-term partners who can help us measure and mitigate our environmental impact,” explained Chen.

Having worked with  DHL Express Malaysia over the past 40 years to ship their products to an international customer base, Royal Selangor took a step further in 2023 by committing to DHL Express’ GoGreen Plus service which follows the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) philosophy and can be used to measure and quantify their voluntary emission reporting.

“Using GoGreen Plus, our customers can limit their Scope 3 carbon emissions from logistics and transport by engaging in carbon insetting and switching to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which is made from alternative raw materials with a sustainable energy profile, including used cooking oil, waste, and hydrogen. This will help to reduce up to 80 percent in carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuel,” said Julian Neo, Managing Director, DHL Express Malaysia.

With GoGreen Plus, Royal Selangor is on track to reducing the carbon emissions associated with their e-commerce shipments by 20 percent in the next year.

Crafting a century-old legacy

With 139 years under its belt, Royal Selangor's key to longevity in a world of constant change lies in its unwavering commitment to heritage and craftsmanship. 100 percent of its production facility workforce is comprised of locals, so a skilled team of artisans can be developed over the long term.

Tuition-free apprenticeship programs for employees are also available to ensure the continuation of Royal Selangor's unique craftsmanship.

While the honing and transmission of Royal Selangor’s unique craftsmanship is an ever-evolving process, the core of the brand’s spirit is carved into the heart of each piece of artisanal craft.

“Our customers value the artistry and precision infused into each of our products, as each piece combines a tradition of craftsmanship and modern techniques. Aligned with our brand essence of ‘Celebrating life’s precious moments through good design and craftsmanship,’ we strive to capture the essence of meaningful moments in every meticulously crafted piece,” said Chen.