The plastic wrappers from these Malaysian pantry staples are part of a project which gives trash new life. — Pictures from Facebook/Wan’s Handmade

PETALING JAYA, June 18 — A fashion designer in Johor is turning Malaysian pantry staples into eye-catching bags.

Wan of Wan’s Handmade is combining food and fashion in its latest offering that features Gardenia bread and Hup Seng Cream Crackers packaging as the main ingredient.

The bags come in a variety of styles ranging from vintage-looking clutches to messenger bags as well as fanny packs.

 

The Batu Pahat-based designer who makes costumes, bags and dolls received a flood of messages and comments after promoting a yellow-hued Hup Seng Cream Crackers handbag on Facebook two days ago.

The post received 1,600 reactions, 4,300 shares and 2,300 comments that were mostly queries about the bag’s details.

 

In the post, Wan, 31, shared a brief history about the iconic Hup Seng crackers which was founded in the 1950s in Batu Pahat by four brothers.

Besides Gardenia and Hup Seng, Wan also made bags out of Massimo bread wrappers.

 

According to Wan’s Instagram, these upcycled bags are part of the Plastic Reborn Project which gives trash a new life.

She collects used plastic packaging and gives them a fresh identity with a renewed purpose.

Wan told Malay Mail she started her business in 2014, a few years after graduating from Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts where she studied fashion design.

 

The Plastic Reborn Project bags are priced from RM79 onwards while her other creations are sold between RM15 to RM200.