五六十年代，十八丁渔民和伐木工人常穿用红树皮染色的“染涩”水衣水裤，具防风保暖功能。因时代变迁，这项技艺在1970年代消失，年轻一代对此一无所知，直到“看见十八丁”团队重新复刻传统。

 

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红树皮的智慧运用

 

“染涩”是潮州话，意指用红树皮水（涩水）染色。早期渔网以布绳和麻绳编织，易受海水侵蚀，渔民发现涩水能增强渔网耐用性，遂用于渔网和麻布衣裤的加工。十八丁的炭窑业使红树皮成为废料，渔民便加以利用，每家每户都会“染涩”。

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早期渔网由布绳和麻绳编织而成，长期浸泡在海水中，容易损坏及破裂。后来，聪明的渔民发现红树皮汁可以使麻绳变厚和强韧，于是开始使用红树皮汁浸泡渔网，以增加耐用性。麻布衣裤以红树皮汁染成红楬色后会变厚，可以防风保暖。过去，家家户户的妇女都会缝制男人出海捕鱼穿的麻布衣裤，俗称“水衣水裤”。

 

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年轻一代的努力传承

 

2017年，吴恬盈因生态营接触“染涩”，得知父辈曾穿染涩衣捕鱼，决心复兴技艺。她研究六年，改良传统技法，开发布料染色图案，并推广成衣、帆布袋等手工艺品，助村民创造收入。

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吴恬盈指出，“染涩”体现了祖辈的生活智慧。早在他们的时代，便学会利用红树皮中的单宁酸为麻布和渔网做染涩处理，使渔网变得坚固耐用、不易断裂，而麻布则因染涩而增厚，具备防风、防水和保暖的功能。

 

 

社区参与与推广

 

自2015年起，“看见十八丁”团队带领儿童体验红树皮染布，并开设每月一次的体验工作坊。2023年起，与MY Charcoal合作，将染涩融入炭窑导览，已有500多人参与。团队还获PPB集团赞助，推出流动车推广，并培训村民，确保技艺延续。

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在这之后。吴恬盈带领看见十八丁染涩妇女团，集体开展红树皮染涩实验，期望透过亲手制作和重复染涩，顺利复原这项技艺。虽然如今渔民可能不再需要水衣水裤，但染涩技术可以应用于现代服饰设计。

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In the 1950s and 1960s, fishermen and loggers in Kuala Sepetang, formerly known as Port Weld, wore fishing attire dyed with Ni Siap, a mangrove bark extract that provided wind resistance and warmth. By the 1970s, this craft had nearly vanished, and younger generations were unaware of it. The Look Port Weld Community Organization is now working to revive and modernize this lost tradition. 

 

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The Ingenious Uses of Mangrove Bark 

 

“Ni Siap” (染涩) is a term derived from the Teochew dialect meaning dyeing with a tannin-rich extract from mangrove bark, known as "Siap Zui." Historically, fishing nets were made from fabric and hemp ropes, which were susceptible to seawater damage. Fishermen discovered that soaking these materials in "Siap Zui" enhanced their durability, leading to its application in both fishing nets and hemp garments. In Kuala Sepetang, the charcoal industry generated a significant amount of mangrove bark waste, which fishermen began utilizing for dyeing. Consequently, "Ni Siap" became a widespread practice in many households. Early fishing nets made from fabric and hemp rope deteriorated quickly in seawater. Fishermen learned that soaking hemp ropes in mangrove bark extract made them thicker and stronger, prolonging the lifespan of the nets. Dyeing hemp garments with this extract imparted a reddish-brown color and increased their thickness, making them more wind-resistant and warmer. Women in fishing households often sewed these hemp garments, referred to as "fishermen attire" (水衣水裤), for their partners to wear at sea. 

 

 

Keeping Tradition Alive Through the Young Generation 

 

In 2015, Go Tyan Yin discovered "Ni Siap" during an eco-camp. Learning that her ancestors had once dyed garments for fishing sparked her passion to revive this beautiful craft. After six years of dedicated research, she enhanced traditional techniques, developed unique fabric dyeing patterns, and transformed the craft into handmade products such as apparel and canvas bags, enabling villagers to generate income. Go Tyan Yin believes that "Ni Siap" embodies the wisdom of past generations. Her ancestors uncovered the remarkable potential of tannins in mangrove bark to treat fishing nets and hemp fabric, creating stronger, more durable nets. This innovative method also enriched the thickness, wind resistance, and waterproof qualities of the garments. 

 

 

Community Participation and Promotion 

 

Since 2015, the Look Port Weld community organization has engaged children in hands-on experiences with mangrove bark dyeing and held monthly workshops. In 2023, in collaboration with MY Charcoal, they incorporated "Ni Siap" into charcoal kiln tours, attracting over 500 participants. With sponsorship from the PPB Group, they also launched a mobile workshop and trained villagers to ensure the continuity of this craft. Additionally, Go Tyan Yin formed the “Look Port Weld Mangrove Dyeing Team” to conduct collaborative experiments in mangrove bark dyeing. Through hands-on practice and repeated dyeing processes, they successfully revived this technique. While fishermen may no longer require traditional waterproof garments, the dyeing technique can be adapted for modern fashion design.