Spectacular souvenirs from six local brands
Published Date: 5 July 2018
The best part about multicultural Singapore is that it brims with enticing souvenirs that your clients can take home. Singapore’s vibrant history and way of life have inspired countless entrepreneurs to chase their passions and create inventive knick-knacks representative of our eclectic city. Today, we are proud to have many Singaporean brands doing well on the world stage. Visitors to our city are spoiled for choice by the sheer number of collectibles available, which include foods and everyday items inspired by cultures from across Asia. Invite your clients to discover distinct flavours, scents and designs with a Singaporean twist, then take a piece of Singapore home in the form of these heart-warming keepsakes.
Kapok
A tastefully curated multi-brand boutique whose flagship outlet is situated within the
National Design Centre (NDC), kapok nurtures independent homegrown brands and even hosts occasional wellness events. Your clients can customise their own accessories from the many different clay ornaments of the lorem ipsum store, and can also tailor leather goods with Rever, which fashions sophisticated yet utilitarian goods from French and Italian leathers. Other prominent local brands carried by kapok include MATTER, a sustainability-oriented apparel and accessories brand which gives back to rural communities that make these garments, as well as Faculty, a homegrown menswear brand centred on relaxed elegance. kapok also offers WeChat coupons for tourists from China, which they can redeem at the cashier of kapok NDC and kapok TANGS.
Located in National Design Centre and TANGS
Opening hours of kapok NDC: Daily 11am-8pm
Opening hours of kapok TANGS: Mon-Sat 10.30am-9.30pm; Sun 11am-8.30pm
Website: ka-pok.com
For enquiries: Call +65 9060 9107 or email yuxian@ka-pok.com (Trade Contact: Yu Xian)
Batu Lesung Spice Company
As a local brand, Batu Lesung Spice Company showcases the flavours of Southeast Asia through its artisanal spice pastes, which include Rendang Rempah (a gravy of coconut milk and spices for braising meat in), Classic Curry, Panggang BBQ Marinade (Malay-style barbecue marinade) and a limited edition Buah Keluak Sambal (spicy chilli paste mixed with the essence of a black nut indigenous to Southeast Asia). Named after the traditional mortar and pestle used to make various Asian sauces, Batu Lesung ensures that its products are free from preservatives and enhancers. Attractively packaged in travel-friendly bundles, these pastes come with simple instructions that allow your clients to live out their passion for cooking, when they replicate these Southeast Asian recipes in their kitchens back home. The more adventurous ones can check out other experimental recipes on Batu Lesung’s website. Gift bundles available include the Furoshiki Bundle, which comes with a branded denim Furoshiki gift wrap, collectible recipe cards and six packets of spice paste; while the Market Bag Bundle comes with a collectible Batu Lesung tote bag, collectible recipe cards and 11 packets of spice pastes. Visitors are welcome to customise either bundle by mixing and matching their preferred spice paste sachets.
Shop online or visit COMO Dempsey
Address: 17 Dempsey Road
Opening hours: Daily 11.30am-9.30pm
Website: batulesungspicecompany.com
For enquiries: Call +65 6225 3542 or email info@batulesungspicecompany.com
Binary Style
Scarves and accessories themed on icons that are instantly associated with Singapore, Binary Style’s products are emblazoned with quirky designs that will remind your clients of the memorable time spent here. Besides images of prominent playgrounds and landmarks across Singapore, Binary Style recently rolled out a scarf decorated with bumboats of the Singapore River, which is a new motif that just became available on neckties too. “Take a trip down memory lane to a bygone era when the Singapore River was the lifeline of Singapore's economy,” proffers Santhi Tunas, Co-Founder and Designer of Binary Style. Contact Binary Style to make corporate orders or customise accessories for your clients.
Shop online or visit stockists islandwide
Address: Isetan Scotts, 350 Orchard Road Level 2
Opening hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-9.30pm
Website: binarystyle.myshopify.com
For enquiries: Call +65 9030 6465 or email binarysingapore@gmail.com
Fossa Chocolate
Singaporean craft chocolate maker Fossa Chocolate welcomes you to customise sweet treats for your clients. You can also sign your clients up for insightful seminars like Fossa Chocolate’s bean-to-bar chocolate appreciation workshop, trufflemaking workshop and food/drink-pairing workshop. Made from high-grade and ethically-sourced cacao beans, Fossa Chocolates do not contain additives or substitutes. Some of its products even feature iconic modern Singaporean flavours like salted egg yolk. Your clients can customise Fossa Chocolate’s various products, which include cacao nibs, chocolate spreads and chocolate bonbons; and these bespoke orders can also be delivered to hotel rooms and offices. Fossa Chocolate charges wholesale prices for custom bulk orders.
Available online and in selected supermarkets.
Address: Jones the Grocer, 9 Dempsey Road
Opening hours: Daily 8am-11pm
Website: fossachocolate.com
For enquiries: Call +65 9173 0290 (Trade contact: Jay Chua) or email xueqi@fossachocolate.com (Trade contact: Xue Qi)
Onlewo
Lauded by the Wallpaper* City Guide, the Louis Vuitton City Guide and Monocle, Onlewo (which translates to “safe and happy nest” in Chinese) invites your clients to take their pick from whimsically-themed everyday items. Here, designs inspired by Singapore embellish fine bone china plates, business card cases, silk scarves, cushion covers and glass sculptures. These best-selling items now fly the Singapore flag overseas—retailing in Paris and soon, Tokyo. “Chiefly designed by me, all our products carry patterns inspired by my love for this country—be it places I grew up in, favourite cakes or unique cultures that I’m connected to”, shares Onlewo’s founder, Mike Tay. Customers can take their pick from products available in the boutique; or customise popular items, like Mike’s lamp and stool covers, to bring home with them.
Address: 129 Jalan Besar
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm
Website: onlewo.com
For enquiries: Call +65 9112 4685 or email miketay@onlewo.com(Trade contact: Mike Tay)
Pek Sin Choon
Established in 1925, Pek Sin Choon is one of the oldest tea retailers in Singapore. Known by its ‘Shepherd Boy on Buffalo’ trademark, Pek Sin Choon peddles a wide range of teas—including Jasmine, Puer, Oolong and Tie Guanyin—that guests can sample at its shop. Currently run by its
fourth generation, Pek Sin Choon now distributes traditional teas around the world. Besides these Asian flavours, your clients can also take home vintage-style teapots, tea caddies and tea brewing sets—which complete the Chinese tea experience. Pek Sin Choon also provides customised solutions for clients with specific requirements. Shop on Pek Sin Choon’s website or visit its tea boutique in the heritage precinct of Chinatown.
Address: 36 Mosque Street
Opening hours: Mon, Wed-Sat 8.30am-6.30pm; Tue 9am-6.30pm
Website: peksinchoon.com
For enquiries: Call +65 6323 3238 or email ask@peksinchoon.com
