Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah by Mingzhi Cai

Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah by Mingzhi Cai is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Besi in Reka Bentuk Cenderamata Competition Category.

BesiCenderamata· 2026

Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah

by Mingzhi Cai

Client: Mingzhi Cai

A' Design Award Besi Winner in Cenderamata Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180415

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah

Pocket Heritage ialah siri sampul merah koleksi yang dicipta untuk Tahun Kuda. Reka bentuk ini mengubah sampul merah tradisional menjadi medium mudah alih untuk penceritaan budaya, menterjemahkan imejan pesta tokong dan persembahan Shehuo ke dalam sistem karakter yang bersatu. Setiap sampul berukuran 90 mm kali 170 mm dan dicetak di atas kertas khas berkilau mutiara dengan dakwat UV lima warna. Reka bentuk terpilih ditambah dengan timbulan emboss berkerajang emas. Setiap pek mengandungi enam sampul yang dipilih secara rawak daripada tiga puluh empat reka bentuk, yang menggalakkan pertukaran dan kemudiannya pameran sebagai cetakan kecil.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Besi

Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah ialah pemenang A' Design Award Besi, pengiktirafan yang berprestij yang dianugerahkan kepada reka bentuk yang baik yang memenuhi keperluan profesional dan industri yang dijangka daripada ciptaan yang direka dengan baik. Pemenang Besi menunjukkan kemahiran yang besar, kepakaran yang tinggi, kefahaman pakar dan keupayaan kreatif penciptanya. Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah diharapkan menjadi ciptaan yang sangat dihargai, dikagumi dan disayangi yang praktikal dan inovatif. Reka bentuk pemenang A' Design Award Besi ini menyepadukan amalan terbaik industri dan mempunyai ciri teknikal yang kompeten yang dikaitkan dengan kepakaran dan bakat. Pocket Heritage Set Sampul Merah dihormati kerana ketelitiannya dan direka untuk memberikan peningkatan kualiti hidup yang membantu menjadikan dunia tempat yang lebih baik.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Pocket Heritage transforms the red envelope into a portable heritage medium for New Year and ceremonial gifting. A unified Year of the Horse character system ensures clear recognition while reinterpreting Shehuo performance culture in a contemporary format. Printed on pearlescent specialty paper with five color UV inks, selected designs also feature embossed relief with gold foil to create vivid color shifts and tactile depth. Each pack contains six randomly mixed envelopes to encourage exchange, collecting and continued use as keepsake prints.
Dimensions & Packaging: This project is a collectible red envelope series. Each retail pack contains six randomly mixed envelopes selected from a set of thirty four designs to encourage exchange and storytelling. Envelope size is 90 mm x 170 mm. The envelopes are printed on pearlescent specialty paper with high contrast graphics for strong legibility and tactile appeal. Selected editions include embossed relief with gold foil. Used envelopes may also be kept and framed as decorative prints.
Tags: Intangible Heritage, Temple Fair, Shehuo, Red Envelope, Cultural Communication, Year of the Horse, Character Design, UV Printing, Pearlescent Paper, Collectible Gift Set
Production Technology: Five color UV ink printing on pearlescent specialty paper creates vivid color shifts and a tactile surface. Selected designs feature embossed relief with gold foil to add raised detail and a ceremonial finish. The character artwork follows a unified visual guide to maintain consistency across the Year of the Horse series. Prototyping included print proofing, finish testing and iterative layout adjustment before final production.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was translating traditional Chinese temple fair and Shehuo culture into a contemporary collectible format without losing authenticity. The project needed to balance historical reference, visual clarity, tactile richness and production consistency at the same time. Another difficulty was building a unified character system from diverse cultural sources while keeping each design vivid, readable and suitable for printing, gifting and long term display.
Research: Cultural and user centered design research. The objective was to translate temple fair and Shehuo heritage into a coherent Year of the Horse character system that is easy to recognize and share. Methods included visual comparison of classical painting records, relic imagery and contemporary festival documentation, followed by iterative character development, print proofing and user feedback with art students. The result was a thirty four design series with strong tactile identity, collectible value and improved cultural recall.
Inspiration: This project was inspired by the visual energy of Chinese temple fairs and Shehuo performances. It rethinks the traditional red envelope as a portable medium for Year of the Horse cultural storytelling. Research compared classical painting records and relic imagery with contemporary festival documentation. Through collaboration with art students and iterative development, the design established a consistent character system and transformed heritage references into a vivid, tactile and shareable gift format.
Project Duration: The project was developed from May 2025 to January 2026 in Bazhou, Langfang, Hebei, China. Research and co creation workshops were conducted with art students during the development process. Print prototyping, material testing and final production were completed with local manufacturing partners. The series was then prepared for market presentation and distribution.
Operation Flow: Users select a red envelope from the pack and present it during New Year celebrations or ceremonial gatherings. The tactile surface encourages handling and close viewing. Because each pack contains six randomly mixed designs, people naturally compare, exchange and discuss the characters and their cultural meanings. After use, the envelope can be kept, displayed or framed as a small decorative print, extending both its function and emotional value.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Mingzhi Cai, 2026.
Image Credits: Image #1: Creator (Content Design) Mingzhi Cai and Illustrator Siya Zhang, Pocket Heritage, 2026.
Image #2: Creator (Content Design) Mingzhi Cai and Illustrator Siya Zhang, Pocket Heritage, 2026.
Image #3: Creator (Content Design) Mingzhi Cai and Illustrator Siya Zhang, Pocket Heritage, 2026.
Image #4: Creator (Content Design) Mingzhi Cai and Illustrator Siya Zhang, Pocket Heritage, 2026.
Image #5: Creator (Content Design) Mingzhi Cai and Illustrator Siya Zhang, Pocket Heritage, 2026.
Video Credits: Videographer Mingzhi Cai, Pocket Heritage, 2026.