Malaia garnet or Malaya garnet is a gemological varietal name for light to dark slightly pinkish orange, reddish orange, or yellowish orange garnet, that are of a mixture of pyrope, and spessartite. It is found in east Africa, in the Umba Valley bordering Tanzania and Kenya. Malaia was at first believed to be a type of spessartite garnet. During the 1970's rough malaia garnets were being mixed with parcels of Rhodolite garnet being offered for sale. These odd color stones were rejected, and the name given to this type of garnet was Malaia, which is a Swahili word meaning outcast. In 1979, German and American gem dealers saw the opportunity to market the new variety of garnet, and took up the name.

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