Malaysian holds ang pow arts and craft competition among family members to encourage upcycling

Loo took seven weeks to create Curtain of Dreams using paper beads from ang pow packets. Photos: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin

Each year, thousands of ang pow packets are discarded after Chinese New Year. And retired English teacher Kenny Loo, 72, worries about the number of ang pow packets that end up in landfills.

To reduce paper wastage, the Kuala Lumpur-based Loo recently organised a CNY ang pow upcycling competition among his family members.

“I fully support the idea of recycling to save our environment. And I want to encourage my family members to do the same. By organising the competition, I am putting my family members’ creativity to the test,” said Loo during an interview at Taman Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur recently.

This is the third year that Loo has organised the competition. The 2021 contest was themed CNY Home Deco while last year, it was CNY Greeting Card.

Loo cut and pieced together hundreds of ang pow packets for his creative Bunny Slumberland quilt.

“The idea of organising the competition came about during the movement control order. I was utterly bored and restless during that time. So, I decided to have some family fun and at the same time, fortify the family relationship and bond by participating in a friendly CNY competition together.”

This year, Loo received 20 creative entries made from ang pow packets. They include a rabbit ang pow handbag and yee sang prosperity toss tray (made from shredded ang pow packets).

There was also the Tray of Togetherness entry where ang pow packets were cut, wrapped and rolled to resemble traditional snacks like kuih bangkit, bakwa (dried meat) and shrimp roll.

Jimmy Loo's yee sang design was a crowd favourite. Photo: Joanne Loo“This year’s entries were surprisingly of a high standard and beyond my expectations. I am pleased that my family members have banded together to create these items. Family values and togetherness are essential. So what better time than CNY to remind us of this?

“I’m so pleased my grandnieces were the ones who were most responsive and excited about the competition. They couldn’t wait for the results and they are looking forward to the next competition. I’m also so happy to be able to tap into their talents and nurture their creativity from young,” Loo shared.

Stephanie Loo's rabbit handbag was one of the creative entries for the competition. Photo: Joanne Loo

Contestants were given a year to complete their project.

“I’m a very fair organiser. Everyone had ample time to finish their artwork. It’s up to participants to complete it within one week, one month or a year.

“Since last year, I managed to collect thousands of ang pow packets from my friends. For the contest, I shared hundreds of ang pows with other participants. I also posted many money packets to family members in Germany,” he added.

Creative endeavour

For the competition, Loo created several items including a paper bead curtain (Curtain of Dreams), patchwork paper bedspread (Bunny Slumberland) and a family tree, using hundreds of ang pow packets to design them.

“I was inspired to create the Bunny Slumberland paper quilt by my godmother’s 40-year-old patchwork quilt. I cut hundreds of ang pow packets and patched them together to form a queen size paper quilt. I took a week to complete the project.”

Did you know making paper beads is a traditional craft that goes as far back as the Victorian age?

But Loo is prouder of Curtain of Dreams, made of thousands of paper beads rolled out of ang pow packets. It also features an outline of lanterns and rabbits in plastic beads. The unique piece measures 39 x 57 inches (99cm X 145cm) in size.

“I first drew the artwork on a large paper. Then I mounted it on a clothes rack. After that, I created the paper beads based on the design,” shared Loo, who learned to make paper beads from his mother in the 1950s.

Joanne Loo's ang pow packet-based papier mache vase. Photo: Joanne LooThere was a fee of an auspicious RM18 per entry. This year, Loo collected RM360 (from 20 entries) which was shared by three winners (50%, 30% and 20%) accordingly.

“However, this year, we had a tie in the first and second positions. So we decided to share the first and second prize money.

"Curtain of Dreams and my niece Joanne Loo’s Prosperity Vase were a tie. I created two extra consolation prizes by popular demand because most participants had difficulty choosing only three best designs due to the high standard.

“I also had a special participation prize for the four junior entries in recognition of their efforts,” Loo said.