^{CHAGEE 6th ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL TEXTILES MUSEUM}

In honor of our CHAGEE Malaysia 6th anniversary, we proudly embrace our local roots through a special collaboration with the National Textile Museum. Together, we celebrate Malaysia’s rich cultural root via the textile art of Telepuk that reflects the beauty of our shared identity.

NATIONAL TEXTILE MUSUEM

The National Textile Museum is a specialized museum that plays the role of collecting, researching, and exhibiting the nation’s textile collections found in Malaysia, especially traditional handicrafts by the diverse ethnic communities such as the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, and the Indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak.

There are four galleries:

• Pohon Budi Gallery, which showcases the history of textiles from prehistoric times and the development of textiles through trade routes
• Pelangi Gallery, which exhibits selected heritage collections such as the evolution of batik and textile collections from the Baba-Nyonya and Chinese communities
• Ratna Sari Gallery, which displays jewellery and adornments
• Teluk Berantai Gallery, which highlights Malay heritage collections such as gold thread embroidery, needlework, and kelingkan or keringkam embroidery.

WHAT IS TELEPUK?

Telepuk is a traditional technique used to create motifs and decorative patterns on textiles using gold leaf. Technically, telepuk is made by stamping fabric with carved moulds or sarang telepuk that are applied with gold leaf using gum arabic. The process of applying telepuk, especially when placing the gold leaf, requires a high level of concentration and must be done in a calm environment, free from air disturbances like fans or air conditioning, as even a slight breeze can blow away the delicate gold leaf.

In terms of terminology, telepuk has been spelled and recorded in several ways — telepuk, telepok, and kain perada — each with a slightly different interpretation. According to Kamus Dewan, telepuk refers to floral motifs made with gold leaf on fabric. The term telepok actually refers to a type of water lotus plant (Nymphaea stellata). Kain perada describes fabric decorated using gold leaf or gold dust.

The origins of telepuk in the Malay Peninsula trace back to its use as clothing for royalty and nobles. Telepuk fabric is known by various names; for example, some early literary texts mention kain serasah from the Coromandel Coast of India, while kain perada is more widely used in Indonesia. In Peninsular Malaysia, it is best known as kain telepuk.

Typically, woven cloth undergoes a process called gerus before telepuk is applied. Gerus means polishing the fabric with specific materials to make it more durable and lustrous. This process traditionally uses the shell of the tiger cowrie (Cypraea tigris), which is why this shell is commonly known as siput gerus.

In essence, producing telepuk involves four forms of craftsmanship: weaving quality fabric, polishing it (gerus), carving the telepuk mould, and applying the telepuk motifs.

COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHAGEE & NATIONAL TEXTILES MUSUEM

CHAGEE’s strategic collaboration with the National Textiles Museum is an initiative to promote Malaysia’s textile heritage. Through this collaboration, CHAGEE highlights the unique artistry of traditional Malaysian textiles by showcasing batik lepas with telepuk and cop (telepuk mould) motifs — treasured elements from the collection of the Department of Museums Malaysia.

The telepuk motif is known for its floral and botanical forms, symbolising elegance, heritage, and craftsmanship. This packaging design blends the museum’s telepuk motif collection with Tea Horse Road–inspired elements and the CHAGEE ‘C’ character, representing a fusion of tea culture and Malay cultural heritage. The use of green evokes freshness and the organic essence of tea, while gold adds a touch of tradition, luxury, and reverence for heritage.

Both traditional motifs have been creatively adapted into CHAGEE’s product designs, including:

1.    Special edition milk tea cups

2.    Eco-friendly paper bags

3.    Exclusive merchandise

This effort not only broadens public access to heritage textile art but also strengthens the relationship between the corporate sector and national heritage preservation institutions.

BATIK CLOTH WITH GOLD LEAF TELEPUK MOTIFS

The batik cloth with gold leaf telepuk motifs is made on kain batik Jambi from Indonesia, featuring a deep navy blue and coral red background. Traditionally, it was used as a hanging shoulder cloth (sebai gantung) or shawl (layang) by women. The entire length of the fabric is decorated with telepuk and polished (gerus), adorned with teluk berantai motifs and various floral patterns such as tanjong and kemunting cina. The lower border of the cloth is embellished with motifs of gunungan, bunga ulam raja, and pagar istana. The centre features traditional Malay awan larat (scroll cloud) motifs, bunga potong ladu, and the edge is finished with a combed fabric design (sikat kain). This piece originally belonged to the Kelantan royal family around the early 20th century.

TELEPUK STAMP

This sarang telepuk is recorded as a Telepuk Stamp, measuring 2.6 cm (length) x 2.6 cm (width), carved in the shape of a four-petal floral motif. The design follows the Bunga Tabur pattern, featuring the Bunga Simpoh Pecah Empat, which is believed to have originated from Kelantan. This sarang telepuk is made of wood with a slight mix of tin.

NEW MILK TEA SERIES: SERI TEA-JAU

“Seri,” meaning radiance or glow in Malay, reflects the refined Telepuk golden beauty of our design and the luxurious essence of the tea, while “Tea-jau” is a creative play on hijau (green), celebrating the vibrant freshness of the leaves in every cup.

Inspired by the timeless beauty of Telepuk, we blend the craftsmanship of fine tea with the elegance of textile art. A green bloom upon heritage’s canvas, this milk tea carries the essence of Tie Guan Yin tea leaves, unfolding in soft, earthy notes that linger like memory.

Taste:
Indulgent with a hint of leafy freshness

Aroma:
Delicate floral and earthy oolong notes

Texture:
Creamy & full-bodied mouthfeel

As we mark CHAGEE Malaysia 6th Anniversary and journey through Malaysia’s National Day season, this campaign is our heartfelt tribute to local heritage. By bringing the intricate beauty of telepuk to our fans in the form of meaningful designs and exclusive merchandise, we hope to spark a renewed appreciation for Malaysian culture in the everyday.

It’s more than tea — it’s a blend of past and present, heritage and modernity, proudly shared with all Malaysians.