Initially we started as a fashion brand wanting to bring batik to the masses, but the production was too tedious and we were not familiar with batik making. We knew we wanted to tell the stories behind malaysian culture without it being too gimmicky and blatant. And that’s how we came up with Bingka.
No one was making good quality souvenir items that we could proudly give to our friends overseas, it was always songket, batik, pewter and nothing much else. From there we developed quirky designs showcasing our rich culture and heritage but in a contemporary setting so it appeals to a wider audience.
In doing so we wanted to show that Malaysia does have the talent and is known for a lot more things than just our food! But it was a lot of hard work getting to where we are and it shows that Malaysia has a long way to go in supporting the local business scene. In terms of infrastructure, business advice, know how etc were all things we had to slowly learn and there is definitely a gap in the market for it in Malaysia. It highlights the problems smaller businesses have and the kind of support they need to grow and scale up. In creating Bingka, we hoped that we can showcase Malaysian designers talent to the world and that we are capable of creating beautiful handcrafted products fully made in Malaysia which would eventually help and support the local economy as well.
Bingka creates original silkcreen-printed designs that are uniquely handmade in Malaysia. Support Bingka here.
A Piece of Malaysia 