Race to meet unique ‘duit Raya’ packet orders
KUALA LUMPUR: With Hari Raya Aidilfitri around the corner, it is not only the seamstresses and cookie makers who have their work cut out for them, duit Raya packet makers are also feeling the heat.
A duit Raya packet designer Azhafizah Md Nor, 34, said she had to burn the midnight oil this year to make nearly 7,000 packets since February, compared to 4,000 pieces last year.
Azhafizah, who had been in the business since 2010 with the help of her husband Mohd Aidil Kamaruzzaman, 34, said the uniqueness of the duit Raya packets was in their designs.
“The packet is made from craft paper with different hipster-style patterns other than batik, songket and monstera deliciosa plant leaves. Clients can also custom-make the back of the packet with pictures and wordings of their own choices.
“Despite sleeping only three to four hours a day on Ramadan, I can make only 200 packets a day. I single-handedly perform all the processes of cutting, folding and wrapping of the packets for my customers,” she said.
Azhafizah said the money packets were sold starting from RM6 for 10 pieces and could be obtained online through
http://www.azhafizah.com and Instagram @azhafizahgraphic.
Another entrepreneur, Izzati Che Suza, 24, said she did not expect to receive such an encouraging response from customers after uploading sketches of her hipster patterned money packets on her social media pages “just for fun”.
“I started receiving orders from early Ramadan and opened bookings for only a week. I did not expect to receive such a good response. I dared not take any more orders because I was worried I could not fulfil them.”
Now, she said that she had to juggle her time to complete over 200 packets themed
Adikku Manis Cantik Bergaya and Perangai Raya. The former are sketches of characters dressed in different Aidilfitri fashions and the latter is the atmosphere during Aidilfitri.
“I am doing all the processes as well as delivering the duit Raya packets to the customers myself. Everything has to be done carefully and it is time-consuming,” she said. According to the youngest of three siblings, her hipster art money packet collections are priced at RM10 for five pieces via Instagram and Twitter account of @kobismenghijo.