ALOR STAR: GONE are the days when the bamboo is used merely as food and for crafts and construction.
These days, the bamboo is used to make many consumer products, including even bicycle frames, and local entrepreneurs are beginning to realise and tap into the potential of the plant.
The owners of Ziboosa Sdn Bhd are among these enterprising Malaysians.
Sisters Shazila and Shahiza Ghazi have established Ziboosa as the online source of bamboo fabric products such as shawls, towels and headbands as well as bamboo souvenirs such as key-chains, fridge magnets and photo frames.
The fabric is made of fibre extracted from the bamboo plant.
They said they took the risk of introducing bamboo-fibre fabrics to the Malaysian market in 2012.
Shazila said she had discovered the product during her stay in Australia in 2008.
The sisters decided to introduce the shawls and women’s garments made of the fabric via social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
“At first, it was challenging as most Malaysians were not familiar with the fabric.
“But as the people grew increasingly aware of environmental concerns and the importance of using eco-friendly products, our items became more popular.
“Today, there is high demand for our Olmeca shawls, which retail at RM60 each.
“Not only it is soft, comfortable and suitable for any climate, it can also be styled a dozen ways, which we have demonstrated in a tutorial on Youtube.
“We are aiming to promote our Malaysian-made products at the international level and in fact, we have just received an order for our fabric from a boutique in Paris,” said Shazila at the World Bamboo Day exhibition at TH Hotel and Convention Centre, here, yesterday.
The exhibition was a showcase of a diverse range of bamboo-based products presented by Malaysian entrepreneurs.
Shazila said besides giving the local bamboo industry a boost, they also aspired to give back to society.
She said they had donated the fabric to single mothers, who could use it to make shawls and other articles of women’s clothing.