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Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa by Yi-Pei Wu

Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa by Yi-Pei Wu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award in Mapangidwe a Zoperekedwa Mphatso Competition Category.


BronzeZoperekedwa Mphatso· 2026

Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa

by Yi-Pei Wu

Client: Tainan Embroidery Trade Association

Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award Winner in Zoperekedwa Mphatso Category

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The Design

About Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa

Tainan Embroidery ndi gulu la zithumwa ndi thumba lonyamulira zopangidwa ndi mafakitale a zovekavekera zamakina ku Tainan, Taiwan. Zithunzi za m'makachisi, monga ziboliboli za milungu, mizati yosemedwa ndi nsalu zakale zokongoletsedwa, zajambulidwanso monga mapangidwe amakono. Chithumwa cha Chinjoka chimaphatikiza kuchuluka kwa masokedwe okwana 40,000 ndi kusindikiza kuti mamba ake aoneke bwino, pomwe chithumwa cha Chikondi chimagwiritsa ntchito luso la leyisi ya zovala zamkati ndipo chimasunga phulusa la zofukiza mu thumba laukonde lamkati. Thumba lonyamulira limapangidwa kuchokera ku ulusi wozungulira wopotedwa kuchokera ku ulusi wotsalira wa mufakitale. Gulu la zinthuzi limasandutsa zithumwa zachikhalidwe kukhala zinthu zachikhalidwe zogwiritsidwa ntchito tsiku ndi tsiku.

The Recognition

About the Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award

Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka kwambiri komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino kwambiri omwe amaonekera ndi luso lolenga, kuchenjera ndi nzeru zakuthwa. Opambana a Bronze ndi zinthu zaluso kwambiri ndi zolenga modabwitsa zomwe zimatsimikizira zochitika zazikulu, kulingalira ndi kuchenjera kwa opanga awo. Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa akuyembekezeka kukhala chinthu choyamikiridwa, chosirira ndi chokondedwa, chaukatswiri wapadera ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a luso, sayansi, kapangidwe ndi ukadaulo ndipo ndi abwino kwambiri chifukwa cha kusamala kwawo zazing'ono. Tainan Embroidery Chithumwa amakwaniritsa zosowa mokongola, kukhudza zilakolako, kukopa mitima ndi kudzutsa chidwi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

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.
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.
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.
Team Members
Design Strategy: Ting-Han Chen
Strategy Consultant: Chung-Jen Lu
Creative Director: Yi-Pei Wu
Artist: Yu-Ning Zhou
Artist: Szu-Yu Hou
Artist: Shang-Ru Tsai
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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