With creativity and patience, she transforms these shells into brooches, earrings, necklaces, keychains, and even home décor items.
“I collect the shells from shops near my home that sell coconut milk. They would be discarded otherwise,” Zanariah told FMT Lifestyle.
From there, the transformation begins. Zanariah starts by cleaning the shells, then smoothening their surface with a grinder and sandpaper.
Next, she carefully carves her designs and cuts the shells into shape. Finally, she smoothens the surface again, applies wax or shellac, and leaves the piece to dry.
She also adds acrylic colour to some of the pieces and decorates others with beads, wire art or seashells: finishing touches that turn the once-humble coconut shell into a work of art.
“When I complete each piece, it’s hard to describe the joy I feel, knowing that I created it with my own hands,” she expressed.
The process may be laborious but, for Zanariah, it is also therapeutic. “Whenever I have a lot of things on my mind or feel stressed, working on my handicrafts helps me to find peace,” said the 51-year-old.
It had all begun when she enrolled in a course on making products from coconut shells. With each lesson, her fascination deepened. “I thought it was something unique and rare.”
Even after completing the course, she was determined to keep improving, and turned to YouTube tutorials to further hone her skills.
After successfully crafting a flower arrangement, she posted a picture of it on Facebook and in WhatsApp groups. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
“People told me it was beautiful and that they’d never seen anything like it. Some even wondered how a woman could handle such hard material,” she recalled.
When someone decided to buy the flower arrangement, she was inspired with the confidence to make other products.
“In 2023, I decided to start my business, Zana Trend Enterprise, as the demand was good and there was little competition in my area,” said Zanariah, who lives near Jempol in Negeri Sembilan.
She began promoting her handicraft online and by setting up booths at events. The following year, her venture took a significant leap forward when she joined the Khadijah Artisans Mentoring Programme (KAMP).
A collaboration between the Khadijah International Waqf Foundation and Persatuan Pembangunan Artisans, the programme offers craftswomen from low-income backgrounds the guidance they need to succeed, and support to expand distribution channels for their products.
Having graduated from the programme earlier this month, Zanariah has gained valuable insights – from learning how to effectively market her products, to setting fair prices that reflect the time and effort poured into each piece.
She is now inspired to take her business to the next level, motivated also by how the Kamp team truly valued her craft.
Beyond her own success, she wishes to see the artform itself flourish. “I hope coconut-shell products will gain wider recognition because they’re truly unique,” she stressed.
“And I’d love for the younger generation to be inspired to take up this craft, because it can provide them with a good source of income.”
To purchase Zanariah’s products, contact her at 019-657 8832.
Read more about the Khadijah Artisans Mentoring Programme and its artisans here.