Project Overview
The "yuan" (kite) is a cultural treasure that has flown through the ages since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. From the earliest wooden kites to cloth kites and then to the paper kites of today, each step carries the weight of history. As the seasons change, they witness the harvests of different times.
The kite is not only a continuation of a traditional custom, but its string also connects the past and the present, the sky and the earth, and the people and stories that chase the wind. It links the scenery with people, people with each other, and people with nature. Rooted in the earth, we are filled with passion to explore the folk craftsmanship nurtured by our cultural heritage. Thus, the Crayon Style "Yuan Shadow" series was born.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Nabis Design Team
Project Brief
I. Paper Kites Carrying a Thousand Years of Poetry, Soaring into Modern Homes
We draw our design inspiration from the traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage—paper kites. By integrating hand-painted elements such as peonies, pavilions, and pine trees, we primarily adopt the traditional Eastern color palette passed down by our ancestors. We select the traditional Chinese color Silver Red as the main color, Verdant Mountain as the base color, and the vibrant Verdant Mountain and Peach Blossom colors as accent colors. The traditional national colors are rendered in an expressive and diffused manner, exuding a sense of classical romance that is both fashionable and elegant, with a gentle and reserved charm.
II. A Thousand Years of Eastern Culture, the Inheritance of Beautiful Folk Traditions
From the earliest wooden kites to cloth kites and then to the paper kites of today, each step carries the weight of history. Its inheritance is not only a gift from history but also a spiritual belief in real life, capable of enduring in the eternal flow of time. The series presents a vibrant living space that embodies this cultural legacy.
Project Innovation/Need
The cross-material transformation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) craftsmanship—breaking through to achieve the soft furnishing application of the traditional kite-making arts of "binding, pasting, painting, and flying"—we have translated the wisdom of kite craftsmen in using bamboo splints to construct physical support into a modern solution of reconstructing an "air skeleton" with down particles.
Through molecular-level down fractal arrangement technology, each cluster of down forms a micro-vortex structure inside the cushions, which not only restores the mechanical logic of kites leveraging the wind but also creates a cloud-like tactile experience. The surface embroidery technique recreates the texture of kite paper, while the "raw edge stitching" on the edge of the throw blanket simulates the touch of traditional kite paper cutting. The carpet uses multi-color wool printing technology, with the silhouette of paper kites printed on it, echoing the design philosophy of connecting heaven and earth.
Design Challenge
This design, combined with a unique painting language, has made some new attempts, preserving them in the newly launched "Yuan Shadow" 2025 Limited Series in an entirely new way. This time, we used the traditional Beijing Zayan kite, integrating elements such as peonies, pavilions, and pine trees.
The pine tree, a symbol of Zen philosophy in the East, represents resilience in Eastern culture. The work is complemented by a variety of exquisite embroidery techniques, with layers of stitching creating a three-dimensional and lively effect. The elements are distinctly Eastern, yet the carefully adjusted color palette is fashionable and elegant, allowing its refined beauty to fit seamlessly into various home settings. Its inheritance is not only a gift from history but also a spiritual belief in real life, capable of enduring in the eternal flow of time.
Sustainability
We have carefully selected organic cotton, hemp, bamboo fibers, and other renewable and biodegradable natural materials to reduce the use of synthetic fibers and minimize environmental impact. By employing natural plant dyes and low-pollution, eco-friendly dyes, we significantly reduce the emission of harmful chemicals and protect water resources. We continuously optimize our production processes, adopting energy-saving equipment to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. We also improve cutting and sewing techniques to minimize fabric waste and establish a waste recycling mechanism.
Most importantly, by incorporating classic intangible cultural heritage kite elements, we protect and preserve traditional craftsmanship, promote cultural diversity, and avoid rapid obsolescence, thereby extending the fashion lifecycle of our products. These measures collectively demonstrate that complexity in materials and craftsmanship does not equate to being non-eco-friendly. Instead, they are a testament to how diversity can be transformed into sustainable innovation.
Product Design - Homewares
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for either a component or overall product. Consideration given to aspects that relate to human usage, aesthetics, selection of components and materials, and the resolution of assembly, manufacturing and the overall function.
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