Yi-Pei Wu · CLIENT: Tainan Embroidery Trade Association
Tainan Embroidery is a collection of amulets and a tote bag made with machine embroidery factories in Tainan, Taiwan. Temple motifs, such as deity figures, carved pillars and old tapestries, are redrawn as modern patterns. The Dragon amulet joins a density of 40,000 stitches with printing for fine scales, while the Love amulet applies lingerie lace technology and holds incense ashes in an inner mesh pocket. The tote bag is made from circular yarn spun from leftover factory threads. The collection turns traditional amulets into everyday cultural objects.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Tainan Embroidery unites factories in Tainan to showcase industrial excellence. Highlights include an amulet with 40000 stitches and another using delicate lingerie lace technology, a unique cross-industry application. The tote bag, designed specifically for temple ritual gifts, is made from circular yarn up cycled from factory leftover threads. Merging religious heritage with upcoming artists, Tainan Embroidery transforms invisible Original Equipment Manufacturer into a cultural brand, turning traditional amulets into collectible high-end art.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Tote bag: 360 mm x 120 mm x 180 mm
Tiger Deity amulet: 105 mm x 8 mm x 80 mm
Cloud amulet: 100 mm x 5 mm x 75 mm
Love amulet: 45 mm x 3 mm x 130 mm
Wisdom amulet: unfold 45 mm x 5 mm x 235 mm, fold 45 mm x 8 mm x 70 mm
Dragon amulet: 65 mm x 5 mm x 75 mm
Watch amulet: Radius 50 mm, Depth 12 mm - Tags
- Cultural Heritage, Contemporary Amulet, Sustainable Bag, Machine Embroidery, Upcycled Textiles, Wearable Art, Spiritual Design, Oriental Aesthetics, Cross Industry Manufacturing
- Production Technology
- The lingerie-tech Love amulet features a monolithic hollow design, integrating the cord through iterative prototyping, with inner mesh pockets for incense ashes. The Dragon edition combines 40,000-stitch density with printing for delicate scales. The tote uses circular yarn, which is up-cycled factory remnants, overlaid with translucent mesh to create a cloud-like effect. To secure these recycled threads, a dense embroidery layout was engineered, turning material constraints into a modern aesthetic.
- Design Challenge
- The core challenge was resolving complex cross-disciplinary conflicts under severe time constraints:
Craft Constraints: Adapting modern design to strict small-scale embroidery limits.
Mindset Shift: Persuading struggling factories to prioritize R&D over a cost-driven OEM mentality.
Sacred Innovation: Balancing novel aesthetics with temple traditions and religious sanctity.
All achieved under a highly compressed grant schedule. - Project Duration
- The project started in July 2025 and finished in December 2025 in Tainan, Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- The design encourages tactile engagement through ritualistic interactions. The Wisdom amulet features a hidden lace element that users can pull out and tuck back, symbolising the unveiling of wisdom. The Tiger Deity amulet includes a detachable cloak, allowing users to interact with the deity’s protective layers. These playful, transformative elements bridge the gap between traditional sacred objects and modern lifestyle accessories, enhancing the user's bond with the culture.
- Research
- This research investigates the intersection of cultural heritage and industrial manufacturing. Through ethnographic studies and technical consultations, sacred motifs like the One-Character Plaque are translated into a modern visual language. Key innovations include sustainable circular yarns and high-density hollow-out lace techniques. User-centric methodologies ensure optimal ergonomics, creating a seamless alignment between spiritual symbols and contemporary lifestyle.
- Inspiration
- Tainan has been the embroidery hub of Taiwan. While many offshored, few resilient factories stayed, preserving high quality machine embroidery. Yet, facing the cheap competitors, these makers need to evolve from suppliers into recognised brands. Hence Tainan Embroidery is launched, partnering with Tiantan Temple, we innovate their most stable demand: religious textiles. Artists deconstructed temple visual heritage, such as deity statues, handcrafted pillars, and ancient tapestries, into modern motifs.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Creator Yi-Pei Wu / the amulet set, 2025
Image #2: Photographer Felan Wu / the up-cycled yarn tote bag, 2025
Image #3: Photographer Yi-Pei Wu / the cloud amulet, 2025
Image #4: Photographer Yi-Pei Wu / the dragon amulet, 2025
Image #5: Photographer Felan Wu / the Tiger Deity amulet, 2025
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