Art of weaving plastic tarps

Art of weaving plastic tarps

We may be familiar with the use of plastic tarpaulins as shelters, especially during neighborhood wedding receptions or while eating lunch at a dusty sidewalk stall. Plastic tarps are a favorite among sidewalk vendors or as refugee shelters after disasters.

Many people assume that these tarps are imported products. They are wrong.

Here, in a corner of the Cibubur district in East Jakarta, a factory has been producing plastic tarpaulins for years. The factory produces tons of them for domestic and foreign markets.

The production process here starts by placing the plastic "seeds" into a machine which later transforms them into threads. The threads are then woven together for the final product.

The process requires skilled workers with a high discipline to operate the machine. -- Texts and photos by R. Berto Wedhatama.

Photo A: Plastic

The main component in the making of plastic canvas are the plastic "seeds".

Photo B: Plastic

An employee checks the strength of the plastic thread to ensure the production of quality canvas.

Photo C: Plastic

A foreman monitors the spinning process.

Photo D: Plastic

A female worker adjusts the weaving machine to apply a the combination of colors on the plastic.

Photo E: Plastic

Two male workers stack the sheets of tarp at the end of the weaving process.

Photo F: Plastic

A tarpaulin tailor adds the metal eyelets. Some customers want tarps equipped with strong eyelets so the tarp can be readily secured with rope.

Photo G: Plastic

The leftover thread is collected for further recycling.