They say it’s what on the inside that counts, and that’s particularly true when it comes to angpaos.
However, having a nice presentation and visual can be nice, too. Although those redeemable money packets from malls and banks can be quite beautiful, why not put in an extra little bit of effort for your family and friends this year?
Here are eight Malaysian brands making unique red envelopes this year so you can dish out your monetary gifts more generously than ever.
1. Summorie
A homegrown notebook and stationery brand, Summorie has released its Water Rabbit Money Packet Set that features two elegant designs, named “五兔临门” and “兔兔得正”.
The first, “五兔临门”, is a wordplay taken from 五福临门, which means five blessings land upon the home, but adds in the word for rabbit. These five blessings refer to longevity, health, prosperity, virtue, and a peaceful end.
As you might expect, this design features five adorable rabbits with those five blessings on them, hopping about on the peachy cream coloured background.
The second design comes from the term “负负得正”, which means being able to always find positivity in any situation, no matter how challenging it gets. Again, the Summorie team has changed some words around to include the Chinese word for rabbit.
Printed with four Pantone colours and detailed with holographic and gold foil stamping, the set comes with 16 money envelopes of the two designs, as well as beautiful packaging.
Name personalisation can be added for RM20.
Where to buy: Website
Price: RM58 (16 pieces)
2. The Alphabet Press
Known for its paper products, The Alphabet Press has released a Chinese New Year-themed bundle which includes some uniquely designed angpaos.
Called the Leaping Rabbit Gift Kit, this RM118 set includes eight red packets (four designs), a deck of playing cards, a letterpress-printed greeting card, and gift packaging.
The limited-edition angpaos feature a part-rabbit, part-Daruma mascot in four colours (red, orange, yellow, and pink).
For additional customisation, you can also add monograms on the red packets at RM18.
Where to buy: Website
Price: RM118 (for the bundle)
3. secondfloorneko
If you’re into adorable cat-related things, you’re going to love secondfloorneko’s set of angpaos.
Coming in packs of six that include three colourways, these money packets feature round cats dressed up as bunnies. Printed on a soft matte material, the colour combinations are pink and yellow, blue and yellow, and yellow and hot pink.
The artist, Nikki, has a plethora of other cat-themed products from calendars and postcards to lanyards and pins, so if you like the angpaos, those might be up your alley too.
Where to buy: Stickerrific |Shopee
Price: RM18 (6 pieces)
Socials: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
4. Where’s Gut Studio
Released in 2021 in collaboration with agritech company Cultiveat, Where’s Gut Studio’s A Fruitful Year is an award-winning festive packaging project.
Although the full set which includes premium-harvest tomatoes is no longer available, the graphic design studio’s card and angpao set is still up for grabs.
For RM50, this festive gift set includes a set of playing cards and five unique money packets.
Dubbed as Tomato Origami Angpow Packets, these red packets are likely ones you’ve never seen before. Presented in the likeness of a tomato, this “packet” is more of a squarish box that you can put some folded cash in.
It’ll certainly make for a memorable way to give out your monetary gifts this year.
Where to buy: Website
Price: RM50 (playing cards and five packets)
5. Paper and Print
Offering commercial printing services as well as creative paper products, Paper and Print has released two collections of 2023 money packets.
The first exclusive collection is embossed with golden detailing, Paper and Print has created quite the whimsical and dainty set of money packets that feature rabbits, stars, flowers, and other festive elements.
There are three designs available. They share the same design, but the colours as well as the greeting differs between each.
The packet wishes 春暖花开, which literally means flowers blossoming in spring’s warmth. Metaphorically, it refers to good opportunities blooming in the new year.
Meanwhile, the brown packet simply says 春节, meaning Spring Festival. The blue one wishes 万事如意, which is a blessing of prosperity and fulfilment of one’s wishes.
Paper and Print also has another set semi-custom collection consisting of 11 designs for you to peruse.
Designs include one of mandarin oranges, one with floral designs on ancient Chinese coinage, one classic red packet with blind embossing, one with bamboo and red foil stamping, one with gold foil stamping of lanterns, one with blue foil stamping of “Gong Xi”, and one saying “Huat Ah”.
There’s also an ash blue design with a silver foil depicting a rabbit, and two other gold-toned ones with golden foil stamping of rabbits as well. The last one says Gong Xi Fa Cai with two little bunnies hopping on it.
Where to buy: Shopee
Price: Exclusive collection—RM58 (9 pieces) | Semi-custom money packets—RM30.80 (10 pieces)
6. Loka Made
These festive red packets from Loka Made were released a few years ago, but they’re perfectly timeless and ideal for those who love a classic design they can use time and time again.
Called the Triple Happiness Red Envelope Set, these red envelopes are inspired by the three major festivities in Malaysia (Lunar New Year, Eid al-Fitr, and Deepavali).
There are five different designs included in the sets of ten, depicting various elements of Malaysian festivities, including yee sang, the 24 festive drums, mooncakes, dodol, and more.
Where to buy: Website
Price: RM35 (10 pieces)
7. milkxprint
Designed by milkxprint, a Sabah-based artist, these Chinese New Year packets feature adorable designs and pastel colours.
There are two designs available, a coral coloured one and a one pink one. The coral one reads 新年快乐 and 身体健康, which wishes Happy New Year and health.
The other design also has a Happy New Year greeting, though this one says 开开心心, a wish of happiness.
Where to buy: Website | Shopee
Price: RM15.90 (8 pieces)
Socials: Instagram
8. Nala Design
From Nala Design, a brand by Kuala Lumpur-based Dutch designer Lisette Scheers, is the My Personal Potion collection of money packets.
Fans of Lisette’s designs will find this collection reminiscent of her typical style, with familiar motifs as well as floral elements.
Printed on uncoated paper, these red packets are embossed with gold hot-stamping and features hand-drawn illustrations.
Where to buy: Website
Price: RM99 (18 pieces)
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From us at Vulcan Post, we’d like to wish each and every one of you a very happy Chinese New Year with an abundance of blessings and prosperity for the whole of 2023! Happy and safe celebrating!
- Read other articles we’ve written about Chinese New Year here.
Featured Image Credit: The Alphabet Press / Summorie / Paper and Print