The countdown begins. With one week left until Christmas, it’s that time of year when your living room has suddenly turned into a makeshift gift-wrapping station: rolls of wrapping paper scattered on the floor, tapes and glittered bows strewn across the table, and the frantic scramble of making sure every item on your gift list is ticked off. For some, this ritual of hunting down the perfect present, selecting the right wrapping paper and embellishments, and adding personalised touches like a handwritten note is equally as gratifying as receiving the gift itself.
This sentiment rings true for Bella Fransisca, founder of bespoke paper brand Terbungkus, which translates to ‘wrapped in’. “I’ve always loved personalising gifts and wrapping them in a way that reflects the recipient,” she shared. “It adds a sentimental value. You can always tell when someone has put a lot of thought into your gift. With Terbungkus, we want gift wraps to be more than just disposable paper, but a part of the gift itself.”
For their debut collection, ‘Square One’, she introduced linocut prints that celebrate the simplicity of squares, or “gift boxes”, featuring four prints from playful Tetris-like rectangular shapes to classic checkered grids that resemble a snakes-and-ladders board game. While the square patterns might appear simple at first, a closer examination reveals a gradient of colour and the delicate textures of the Japanese paper they’ve chosen.
But what Terbungkus really specialises in is their penchant for personalisation; each design also comes with empty spaces between the patterns reserved for custom designs, including letterings or embroidered names or messages.
Sure, store-bought paper may be convenient. But is it fun? With handmade papers like Terbungkus, you can make your gift truly one-of-a-kind, tailored to match the giftee’s personality and quirks. And if your wrapping skills are not quite up to par, the team is more than happy to step in with their wrapping services—whether it’s to sculpt a hand bag out of paper or tackle the most unwieldy presents, like say, a washing machine.
To complete your gift, add a handwritten note using one of Terbungkus’ repurposed letters, or for an extra personal touch, make your own. After all, isn’t that what the true spirit of giving is all about?
Square One – Gift Wrapping Paper — IDR 85,000 — Available at Terbungkus’ Tokopedia page
