Nostalgia fuels demand for Singapore-themed merchandise ahead of National Day

Nostalgia fuels demand for Singapore-themed merchandise ahead of National Day From keychains shaped like childhood snacks to fragrances inspired by steamed rice, local brands are turning familiar Singapore memories into gifts and keepsakes. SINGAPORE: Retailers say Singaporeans are embracing locally-inspired gifts and keepsakes that evoke familiar memories, with demand picking up ahead of National Day. While locals make up the majority of their customers, some businesses are also seeing growing interest from overseas buyers looking for Singapore-inspired souvenirs. They believe demand will remain strong even after the National Day period. CHILDHOOD SNACKS TURNED INTO KEEPSAKES For local brand WAI, childhood favourites have become the inspiration for a new line of merchandise. The business began in 2020 selling kueh while its founders were still in university, before expanding into traditional biscuits in 2023. In April this year, it pivoted again, launching a line of 3D-printed merchandise inspired by familiar Singapore sights and snacks. Its range includes keychains and magnets modelled after iced gem biscuits, egg tarts, kopi cups and even old-school jotter books. Co-founder Michael George said the new line has quickly become one of the company's fastest-growing segments. "We actually see that the merchandise segment is growing 30 per cent just this year alone. So it's growing much faster than our snack segments," he said. "It’s really comforting to us that what we're doing is something that people like and people appreciate and people actually buy, not just for themselves but as gifts for others." The company now sells about 300 keychains a month. It expects sales to double in the lead-up to National Day. Around 70 per cent of its customers are locals, mainly millennials and Gen Z shoppers, while corporate gifts account for the remaining 30 per cent, Mr George said. Interest has also started coming from overseas markets such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong, although Singapore remains its main customer base. Mr George said the inspiration came from wanting to recreate everyday Singapore objects in forms that people could "carry, use and keep". That has since expanded beyond nostalgic snacks to items such as miniature ERP gantries and minimart price tags. BOTTLING THE SMELL OF HOME Another company, Lynk Fragrances, is bottling familiar Singapore memories. Instead of floral notes such as orchids, its latest collection is inspired by scents that many Singaporeans associate with home, said co-founder Datina Wee. These include freshly steamed white rice and pandan oolong tea. Ms Wee said the white rice fragrance was inspired by the familiar smell of steamed rice waiting on the dinner table after school or work, while the pandan oolong tea scent offers a modern take on a traditional local breakfast. The collection has already received close to 500 pre-orders, with the company expecting the total to exceed 1,000 through its marketing campaigns. About 80 per cent of Lynk Fragrances' customers are Singaporeans. The company also hopes its collection will appeal to overseas visitors through its store at Changi Airport, where travellers can pick up locally-inspired gifts throughout the year. "We wanted something that could also be a gift for tourists or even Singaporeans to give their foreign friends to bring back a part of Singapore," said Ms Wee. It also plans to launch long-term pop-up stores across Singapore next year to reach more customers.