The Pulau Kukup National Park in Pontian is a Ramsar site and home to the unique mangrove forest ecosystem. — Photos: THOMAS YONG/The Star
PONTIAN district in Johor is home to one of the most important mangrove ecosystems in the world, and a couple is trying to raise awareness about its importance, one stitch at a time.
Local boy Lim Beng Chee and his wife, Jo Wong Seok Wei, who design and create handsewn products from tie-dyed fabric, have been promoting the beauty of the trees and highlighting the need for mangrove conservation over the past few years.
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The Pulau Kukup National Park in Pontian is a Ramsar site and home to the unique mangrove forest ecosystem. — Photos: THOMAS YONG/The Star
Wong styling a mannequin with one of her designs made from natural mangrove dye.
Lim Chu Yok, 73, is the ‘chief tailor’ who stitches the dyed fabric into the various designs that her daughter comes up with.
A photo from the 1950s where fishermen soaked their fishing nets in mangrove dye before hanging them to dry under the sun in order to make them more durable.
People’s disregard for the environment has resulted in tonnes of rubbish washed up and caught between the roots of the mangroves, which can suffocate and kill the trees. — Courtesy photo
A knapsack made from natural mangrove dyed fabric.
Pieces of dyed fabrics are hung to dry under the sun to make the colours last longer.
Participants, from children to adults, trying their hand at dyeing fabrics with mangrove dye to make their own handicraft during a workshop organised by Lim and Wong in Pontian, Johor.
Graphic designer Lim Beng Chee and his wife actively participates in flea markets and craft fairs to showcase and sell their products made from natural mangrove dye.
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