To survive CMCO, Klang family-run tailor shop sells handmade batik face masks

Jeff Lim sewing the face masks that come in different colours. — Picture courtesy of Agnes Aui

PETALING JAYA, Nov 19 — Lim Lam Tailor Shop in Klang is known for its affordable custom and made-to-measure men’s clothing.

Located in Pasar Besar Meru in Klang, the tailor shop also takes pride in its family business that has been passed down from one generation to another.

Now, the tailor shop has something else to offer — its handmade batik face masks to keep the business afloat since the conditional movement control order (CMCO) was put in place.

The face masks project was a recent initiative by the owner of the tailor shop, Lim Loong Hon or fondly known as Jeff Lim to keep his business afloat to pay his rental and electricity bills.

Lim’s niece Agnes Aui, 23, told MalayMail that business had hit the family hard since the MCO with fewer people visiting the shop to get their clothes tailored and altered.

“My uncle who is the sole worker, wanted to close the shop because he was not getting any income from his tailoring business while struggling to pay for rental out of his own pocket.

“But then our family members sat down and thought of a solution to let the business continue operating — and that was when the idea of making handmade batik face masks came to mind.”

First generation tailor Lim Lam (far right) outside former Lim Lam Tailor Shop in Seri Intan, Klang before the shop was relocated to Pasar Besar Meru. — Picture courtesy of Agnes Aui

Aui shared that the family didn’t want to see its family business die-off just like that in the name of CMCO and Covid-19 pandemic.

“Since my uncle knows the ins and outs of sewing as he attended sewing courses and has been learning the art from a tender age, he decided to sew the face masks himself.

“He makes sure that the face masks are of good quality in which they come in three layers and have two sizes.

“And he makes the face masks after work hours in his home, with other family members helping to promote the handmade face gear on social media.”

Asked whether the face masks business is able to sustain the family business, Aui said that most of the customers have been supportive of their new initiative.

Send us a picture of yourself in our Batik Mask to be featured!

“Most of our friends and family members have purchased our face masks priced at RM10 each and the face masks have been selling like hotcakes.

“Batik designs have become trendy among Malaysians which was why we decided to have batik-themed face masks,” she said.

Anyone interested in purchasing the face mask at RM10 each can place their orders via their social media accounts at https://www.instagram.com/limlamtailor or https://www.facebook.com/limlamtailor.