Category: Traditional Trades

The pre-war shophouses along Jalan Raya Timur, a stone’s throw from Klang KTM Komuter Station, used to be a glorious business district on the south bank of Klang River. Several decades later, most businesses either moved out or closed down, among the few surviving is gunny sack dealer Yeo Hup Kee. The natural scent of jute permeates the immediate vicinity of the shop.

Yeo Hup Kee was founded during the golden era of Jalan Raya Timur in the 1940-50’s, during which the shophouses were fully occupied and businesses were flourishing, in stark contrast to recent years. Cracks and splinters are visible on the wooden plaque, the faded walls are laid bare by the wide-open collapsible gates, the high ceiling makes the interior appear spacious, the iron ventilation grille allows light and air to flow through. Glancing in through the unobstructed facade, orderly stacks of gunny sacks, jute rope, and jute cloth take up almost half the shop.

Gunny sacks are made from natural plant fibres, the intertwined strands give out a warm golden glow, and has a slightly coarse texture. They are reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable, which renders them eco-friendly. Gunny sacks absorb moisture, have good ventilation, and are durable, therefore widely used in agriculture and construction industries. Crops stored in gunny sacks stay fresh longer; wrapping plant roots in gunny sacks during transplanting helps conserve soil moisture, and the sacks will decompose into fertilizer; in construction, the base of column are wrapped with gunny sacks in the process of concrete curing.

Yeo Hup Kee deals with bulk purchase of used gunny sacks, which they clean, sort, and then export. The gunny sacks are mostly sourced from local cocoa processing facilities. The acquired sacks are shaken upside down to remove dust and debris. Holes need to be sewn up with jute rope. Sorting is carried out according to thickness, density, and size. The sacks are then tied up into bundles and stored away neatly.

The company’s late founder, Mr Yeo Cheng Swee, started from scratch upon emigrating to Malaya. At the beginning of his career as a second-hand goods dealer, he always travelled around on a bicycle. As the business grows, he acquired a shophouse on Jalan Raya Timur and registered a company named “Yeo Hup Kee”. Out of the 10 children brought up in the shophouse, Mr Yeo Kim Chong is the only one who succeeded his father in the business. Five decades have since passed, and with it he witnessed the ups and downs of gunny sack trading.

In the past, gunny sacks were highly sought after by grocery stores, rice wholesalers, rice millers, and the National Rice Corporation (BERNAS). Through experience, Mr Yeo Kim Chong could easily ascertain a gunny sack’s quality with just a touch. Since the 80’s, polypropylene (PP) woven bags and plastic bags gradually replaced the costlier and heftier gunny sacks as common packaging materials, currently only a handful of merchants remain in the trade. Due to the change in demands, Mr Yeo brought in PP woven bags and ton bags, adopting new strategies to build resilience.

With a flexible mindset, Mr Yeo developed his family enterprise towards a global scale by exporting gunny sacks to various countries, for instance India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Seeing that Mr Yeo has his hands full, his second daughter and son quitted their own jobs several years ago in order to help him manage the family business. Miss Yeo Yee Sim propels Yeo Hup Kee onto online platforms, broadening market reach. Cafes acquire used empty coffee bags as decoration, florists wrap bouquets in jute cloth for a rustic feel, while craftspersons weave jute ropes into baskets, rugs, and even chairs.

Due to space limitations, Mr Yeo set up a warehouse nearby for processing and storing large quantities of gunny sacks. Even so, he insisted on operating the old shophouse. Although it is tiring having to cover both sites, the shophouse is the legacy of his father, and full of fond childhood memories. Most importantly, old customers may be reassured that this store will always be around, at the same spot.

Gunny sacks pile on top of one another, Yeo Hup Kee transfers from one generation to the next, remaining at the dilapidated Jalan Raya Timur, waiting patiently for old and new friends to visit.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen
Music : 《Beautiful & Inspiring Piano with Strings》

COPYRIGHTS 2021 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

“Red, yellow, and green longevity bowls. In the past, they are commonly seen in every household.” Mr Wong Gia Loke gives a run through as he walks among tall shelving units laden with ceramic ware. One must be extremely careful when navigating the narrow aisles, to prevent shattering piles of ceramic ware.” There are plenty of designs, that is a noir mille fleur, as well as landscape.” Famille rose ceramic ware have elaborate decorative patterns, which may look identical, yet each stroke is hand-painted by skilled craftsmen. What once was ordinary tableware back in the 1940’s-60’s, has now become highly sought-after collectibles, only available in century-old stores.

Yat Hang Trading, occupying a three-storey building on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee at Kuala Lumpur, has been in operation for more than 100 years. The building recessed beyond the five-foot walkway, giving it an unusual appearance compared with neighbouring double-storey shophouses. The extended space is utilised by employing mobile shelving units to display goods during business hours, while the vibrant graffiti walls on both sides add funky vibes. Fusion of old and new not only occurs on the shop exterior, but also the merchandise they stock: apart from traditional ceramic ware of all shapes and sizes, there are modern kitchen utensils, crockery, and cutlery.

Produced since the Eastern Han Dynasty, ceramic ware became widespread over the globe, generally used as food vessels, or appreciated as an art piece. The most in-demand being white ceramic bowls adorned with red rooster, banana leaves, and a pink peony, symbolizing diligence, success, and prosperity respectively. Rooster bowls gained popularity in Southeast Asia due to mass migration, where Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand soon started local productions. Common sizes range from five inches to eight inches in diameter. 

The founders of Yat Hang Trading were three brothers hailing from Xinhui, Guangdong in China. In the early 20th century, they arrived in Kuala Lumpur carrying bamboo baskets full of ceramic ware. Pooling resources together with relatives and friends, Yat Hang was initially established in a small shoplot near today’s Kotaraya Complex. Having operated for over 80 years, as the partners gradually retired, the company was voluntarily wound up. The next generation, Mr Wong’s father decided to reinstate the family business, thus acquiring the current premises about 30 years ago. Mr Wong and his elder sisters would help out at the shop after school, hence developing a fervent interest in ceramic ware and the underlying cultural significance.

Taking over the reins upon completing studies till now, the three Wong siblings dedicated their youth to Yat Hang, working together in handling various duties from cleaning, customer service, to accounting. The sweet fruit of their success is the expansion from merely a retail shop to include a warehouse on the second storey and a showroom on the third storey of the same building. Apart from wholesaling, Yat Hang also caters for housewarming, weddings, and elderly birthday celebrations. A complete set of traditional Chinese diningware comprises 96 pieces decorated with the same motif, including bowls, plates, chopsticks, spoons, toothpick holder, and stew pot. Whereas a Chinese tea set is made up of teapot, teacups, and a tray.

Decal transfers gradually replaced hand-painted ceramic ware since the 80’s, reducing costs while enabling mass production, however the essence of handicraft is lost. The famille rose making technique in Guangdong, with a rich history of over 300 years, was listed as an intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Formerly exported in large quantities, famille rose ceramic ware is now highly sought-after by collectors. Each piece is one of its kind, nevertheless imitation pieces are manufactured in the retro style.

The key highlight of Yat Hang is not limited to trading, but also in spreading knowledge. The eldest, Miss Wong Pooi Man, learned on the job about how customers from different cultural backgrounds have varying requirements regarding diningware, as well as playing an active part in promoting Malaysia’s multiculturalism to foreigners. She shares recipes with customers while recommending cookware, and gives them tips on proper usage and maintenance of the products. Customers are happy to gain such information, some even bring their successful dishes to share with Miss Wong, which makes her feel glad.

Dining habits change with the times, traditional ceramic ware may cease in everyday use, the underlying cultural significance may gradually be forgotten. However, at a corner of Petaling Street, the three Wong siblings keep up the family legacy, continuing to pass on traditional Chinese dining culture through Yat Hang. 

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang / Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen
Music : 《Romantic Piano Inspiration》

COPYRIGHTS 2021 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Dexon Button Shop is located on the ground floor of an old shophouse in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Numerous stalls in front of the five-foot way formed a barrier in which the shop is tucked away. Going through the narrow passageway leading to Dexon Button Shop, the sunlight rays which fall on the front of the shop radiates a special charm. Another captivating sight is the neat and compact wooden cabinets and the dazzling array of buttons on display inside the shop. A myriad of metallic buttons, shell buttons, wooden buttons, plastic and increasingly rare fabric buttons are procured both locally and internationally.

Apart from offering a multitude of buttons, Dexon is also a haberdashery, selling zippers, needles and thread, scissors etc. At the same time, Dexon is one of the few shops in Petaling Street which is family-run by Chinese owners to date, a 40-year-old establishment still in business today. The signboard hanging above the shop entrance became faded over the years, contrasting with the semi-circular column aside which retains bright scarlet letters. The two antique machines——a manual riveting machine and a fabric button machine, are not commonly found among haberdasheries.

The founder of Dexon Button Shop, Mr Chai Chang Nam, hails from Kuala Kangsar, Perak. During his youth, he worked at a tailor shop in Kuala Lumpur. When the shop ceased operations, he started his own haberdashery business at a corner on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee. After a fire incident, Mr Chai shifted to a half shop at No.37 Petaling Street. Later on, the property owner sold the shoplot to a hotel operator, he had no choice but to relocate. Fortunately another shop is available a stone’s throw away, thus he occupied the current premises at No.45 Petaling Street in 1992. The grand reopening was a major event, congratulatory flower stands from his peers almost filled the entire five-foot way. Mr Chai’s second daughter Villy vividly recalls the shop was as if a florist, a fun and exciting childhood memory.

Now that Mr Chai is growing old, he considered retirement during the Movement Control Order (MCO). As Villy took over the reins, he assumed an advisory role. Villy has often helped out since a young age, and is familiar with the shop’s operation. With the help of staff who have up to twenty years’ experience, she has no trouble with the transition. Everybody perform their own duties, covering basic tailor services besides selling sewing supplies, such as stitching buttons, alterations, seaming and zipper repairs.

Chinese knotted buttons are staple goods of the shop, all handmade by Villy and her mother. Colourful fabric strips are weaved into floral patterns, holding the collar in place by a knot and a loop. Usually found on traditional garments such as cheongsam, knotted buttons date back many centuries, with rich cultural heritage. The skills are passed down from Villy’s grandmother to her mother, and then her as the third generation. As knotted buttons fell out of style, this traditional skill may soon be forgotten.

Petaling Street and its surrounding areas, including Jalan Tun H.S. Lee and Jalan Sultan, is the main Chinese settlement during the early days of Kuala Lumpur, with 140 years of history. During her childhood, Villy would be at the shop after school, waiting for her parents to go home together. The staff would let her play around, and witnessed her growing up. Petaling Street is a bustling and friendly neighbourhood to Villy. Almost all shops in the area were previously run by Chinese merchants, there were many textile and clothing shops, as well as traditional herbal shops, hardware shops and food stalls. Some shops ceased operations due to lack of successors, while others rented their premises to foreigners, hence the Chinese cultural features in Petaling Street dwindled. Last year, Villy returned to this intimate shop and community, embarking on a new journey after being laid off.

A button may be tiny, but it is practical in fastening garments or as an accessory. Even though Petaling Street may have altered from the past, Dexon Button Shop remains low-key, holding on thanks to regular customers and craft hobbyists, forming intricate bonds in the same way buttons hold clothes together.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang / Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen
Music : 《Soft Piano》

COPYRIGHTS 2021 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD