the
ananas
story

Drawing inspiration from pineapples and snakes – the zodiac animal in the Chinese lunar calendar – the tessellation patterns for the red packets are designed in “glide rotation” tessellation technique. The designs feature pink and yellow pineapples in repeated rows with colourful snaking serpents. The pink pineapples are based on existing fruit which are smaller in size compared to regular yellow pineapples and the skin is in brilliant deep pink (they’re real). Each pineapple is flanked by a pair of serpents inspired from Southeast Asian snake species. The entire tessellation pattern is meant to depict the snakes gliding among the fruits, guarding over a bountiful harvest of pineapples.

Interestingly, within most pineapple plantations, it is common to sight snakes seeking respite because it provides moisture and humidity levels that are perfect habitats for the snakes. As if by recompense, the snakes protect the bountiful harvest by consuming mice and other creatures that might eat the pineapples. (This might just be the beginning of a bittersweet folklore on why pineapples ‘eat’ you back, seemingly honouring a long-lost promise.)

Pineapples or ‘ananas’ – is in fact the more dominant name for the tropical fruit in many cultures. Grown in countries with the perfect humidity and sunlight produces the sweet, sour yet refreshing taste of tropical summers. Apart from being an excellent palate cleansing dessert, the fruit naturally obtains “super fruit” status in Chinese cultures. These fruits are perceived as lucky because of a specific Hokkien dialect nomenclature – ‘ong lai’ which alludes to bringing bountiful wealth. Big lantern pineapples are typically hung outside business shops, fruits rolled into new offices and homes to bring good luck, great wealth and prosperity.

In spite of the classification differences – one being a fruit and the other a reptile – both broadly sport similar skins and scales pattern structure. The fibonacci sequence pattern in pineapples produces diagonal lines in rows and spirals which criss-cross each other, whilst the snake skin is a tessellation pattern of repeated tiles. Therefore, the proverbial die has naturally been cast for the ‘snake and pineapple’ as the perfect pairing of symbolic patterns for the Chinese New Year of the Snake red packets 2025.

This year’s collaboration with 2b Printing Solutions has been nothing short of stellar. The team’s insights have produced a compelling work of art with tactile innovations from their expertise. Check out their paper craft (and wizadry!) for the sustainable gift sets here. We hope the design brings curiosity, wonder and good luck to the recipients :)