How Penan Villagers Sustain Their Families by Harvesting Jungle Leaves

In Borneo, when Penan weavers aren’t crafting traditional bags, they turn to the jungle to support their families. They gather specific jungle leaves, which are carefully bundled into rolls used for wrapping cooked rice.

Each roll contains 22 hand-selected leaves and sells for around 25 cents (NZD). Orders can be large—sometimes reaching up to 7,000 rolls—providing a much-needed source of income when craft orders are slow.

🌿 A Sustainable Practice at Risk

These special leaves grow only in untouched rainforest. But once the jungle is cleared for palm oil plantations, these plants—and the livelihoods they support—disappear.

Without access to their jungle, Penan families struggle to earn money or feed their children. The destruction of rainforests directly affects their ability to survive.

🌍 Why This Matters

Large companies continue to drive deforestation. Fonterra, a major dairy company in New Zealand, is one of the world’s largest importers of palm kernel—fueling the demand for palm oil plantations that replace native forests.

This seemingly simple act of bundling leaves is deeply meaningful. It’s a sustainable way of living, passed down through generations, that depends entirely on preserving the forest.

✨ Support Indigenous Economies and Forest Conservation

At Borneo Bags, we believe every product and every purchase should honour people and planet. When you buy from us, you help protect the forest and support traditional communities like the Penan.