Boolet turns satay waste into charcoal in Jakarta street food campaign

Jakarta’s satay stalls serve millions, but leave behind a trail of bamboo waste that’s sharp, unmanaged, and mostly ignored. Local startup Boolet wants to change that. Its new campaign, in collaboration with dentsu Indonesia, offers a practical fix: turn discarded skewers into charcoal briquettes, cutting landfill waste while giving street vendors a new source of fuel.

"Re-Skewer" offers a small idea with sharp edges - the start of a bigger conversation on circular design in everyday places. With an estimated 15,000 tonnes of skewers and chopsticks discarded annually across the country, the challenge lies not just in collection, but in rethinking the value of what gets tossed away.

Boolet’s previous initiatives have included turning used skewers and chopsticks into eco-conscious accessories such as phone stands, eyewear, and coasters. But these efforts, while stylish, struggled to connect with satay vendors operating at street level. The "Re-Skewer" campaign closes that gap by delivering something tangible: alternative fuel.

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Cindy Susanto, CEO of Boolet, explained the shift: “Re-Skewer goes beyond a recycling programme - it’s a collective movement that invites vendors, consumers, and communities to reimagine waste. Our approach has always been to support the local circular economy, and with dentsu Indonesia’s strategic thinking and culturally rooted approach, we’re aiming to gradually change public behaviour and support micro-businesses for the long-term.”

Recyclable packaging for charcoal briquettes made from processed skewer waste gives street vendors a familiar and practical reason to participate. It’s a creative detour from the more common upcycling paths, which often focus on turning waste into lifestyle products that feel distant from the very communities generating it.

“Our team focused on designing a campaign that not only addresses a pressing waste issue but also delivers real value to the community,” said Rangga Immanuel, executive creative director of dentsu Creative Indonesia. “It shows how creativity, when grounded in empathy and local culture, can create tangible impact.”

The campaign launched with a hands-on collection drive in Jakarta. In just one day, enough skewer waste was gathered to distribute 45 kilogrammes of briquettes - fuel that not only cuts costs for vendors but also offers a more sustainable alternative to conventional charcoal.

In its campaign video, dentsu highlights the often-overlooked danger of satay skewers - pointing to real incidents where improper disposal has led to fatal injuries.

In Bandung, West Java, for example, a sanitation worker reportedly died after being punctured in the foot by a discarded skewer, later developing tetanus. The story highlights just how invisible and deadly such waste can be when unmanaged.

Local authorities now recommend that sharp skewer tips be broken off before disposal - or processed using shredding machines designed to handle organic waste such as bamboo. But without proper awareness or infrastructure, the risks remain high - especially during peak satay seasons such as Idul Adha, when volumes of skewer waste spike nationwide.

Building on its early momentum, Boolet aims to take the campaign beyond Jakarta, engaging more communities and street vendors across other cities. The broader ambition is to boost recycling infrastructure and co-create new upcycled product lines in collaboration with local artisans.

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