In the heart of Malaysia's pulsating cultural narrative sit our time-honoured textile traditions. Like a tempest of colours and patterns, our textiles tell the tales of a vibrant past, preserved for the future. The Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024 is launching once more to shine a light on traditions ensnared in threads - the distinct legacy that is a testament to Malaysian artistic fervour.

The illustrious Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024, hosted at Kuala Lumpur's historic Rumah Tangsi, showcases the vibrancy of Malaysia's heritage textile industry. With an impressive roll of ceremonies and exhibitions, the HGTA underscores the nation's commitment to preserving cultural artwork by connecting traditional practices with contemporary relevance.

Read also: Your Guide to Visiting the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia

Table of Content

1. Traditional Textiles in Malaysia
2. Opportunities for Local Artisans
3. How to Participate in the Awards
4. Award Categories
5. Cash Prizes
6. The Threads of Time Exhibition
7. About the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards
8. About Yayasan Hasanah

Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024: A Showcase of Traditional Textiles in Malaysia

Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024: Honouring Malaysian Textiles

Traditional Textiles in Malaysia

The Hasanah Gold Threads Awards artfully stitches together the past and the future, urging artisans to sustain cultural legacies through textiles. As it embarks on another year of celebration and innovation, the HGTA remains a testament to Malaysia’s enduring cultural tapestry, inspiring a new generation of weavers and world recognition for Malaysian textiles. With eyes on the grand ceremony in September, the anticipation among artisans and enthusiasts weaves a narrative of pride and excitement, bearing the hallmark of Malaysia's textile grandeur.

This prestigious event returns stronger, brighter as it spins together the best of Malaysian textile arts. Artisans who have incorporated tradition into their creative sphere, pushing bounds of civilisation's fabric, will be celebrated.

Each category, including Supplementary Weft, Ikat, Drawing and Stamping, Embroidery and Embellishment, Plaiting, and Beadwork, mirrors the unique aspects of our heritage and forms the baseline of fleeting craftsmanship to be judged upon.

The esteemed jury panel at the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024, including Janet Tee, Irma Murni Ismail and Melinda Looi.

Furthermore, the evaluation process scrutinises technique, workmanship, cultural representation, marketability, functionality, and innovation in textile design. Jacqueline Fong, co-producer of the awards, cherishes this approach, believing its comprehensiveness sparks artistic brilliance further. Shortlisted entries vie for two major categories, Best Traditional and Best Innovative, honouring both preserved techniques and modern spins on traditional forms.

Initiated by Yayasan Hasanah, a beacon of cultural preservation in Malaysia, the HGTA isn't just another awards ceremony. It's a strident call to preserve, promote, and pass down traditional textile methods through generations. Stepping into the grandeur of the awards venue, the air was thick with anticipation, with artisans from every corner of Malaysia showcasing their lifework, from intricate ikat to sumptuous songket.

Opportunities for Local Artisans

Beyond being a platform for recognition and accolades, the HGTA acts as a catalyst for collaboration between artisans and industry players. Initiatives from the awards have spurred mutually beneficial partnerships and fostered a deeper appreciation for our country's diverse textile wealth in both local and international locales. Winners are further empowered through a rich textile fellowship programme to enhance their forward perspectives in product innovation.

In its spirited second year, introduced the Youth Achievement and Sustainability Gold Awards, reflecting an era of transformation where the youth's innovative spirit is embellished with sustainable commitments.

In the constellation of accolades, the Hasanah Gold Award illuminated the work of Adiguru Ngot binti Bi, whose fingers have woven magic into plaiting for decades, enveloping her story into the very fabric of Malaysia's cultural anthology.

Winners of the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards 2024

How to Participate in the Awards

With an illustrious judging panel and substantial cash prizes, the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards affirmatively encourage artisans to preserve our culture-enriched textiles for the promising future. Participants stand a chance to bask in the golden glow of HGTA 2024 and etch your name in Malaysia's textile heritage.

Key aspects judges will consider:

1. Technique and workmanship quality
2. Cultural and aesthetic representation
3. Marketability and functionality
4. Innovation in design and production

Award Categories

Dive into a world where fabric tells stories of culture, craftsmanship, and creativity. The textile competition unfolds in six riveting categories: Supplementary Weft, Ikat, Drawing and Stamping, Embroidery and Embellishment, Plaiting, and Beadwork. Each of these arenas steps into the spotlight, awaiting to reveal the preservation of traditions and the pulse of innovation through their threads.

The Best Traditional Award raises a glass to the artisans who weave, stamp, emboss, and embellish fabrics just as their ancestors did, capturing the essence of heritage and the unaltered techniques handed down through generations. On the flip side, the Best Innovative Award looks to the future, celebrating those daring enough to experiment. This accolade is a nod to the mavericks who stay true to the roots of handcrafted textiles while pushing boundaries in design, use, or production methods.

Each piece submitted is a testament to the everlasting dialog between tradition and innovation, showcasing the boundless possibilities when creativity meets cultural heritage.

Jacqueline Fong, a distinguished name in the textile industry who is the founder of Tanoti and co-producer of HGTA, asserts that these categories are reflective of the Malaysian heritage and the metrics of mastery that will be judged include excellence, authenticity, marketability, and innovation.

Winning in two main categories, Best Traditional and Best Innovative, the awards pay homage to age-old techniques and the reinvention of textiles for contemporary uses.

Category	Techniques
Supplementary weft	Songket, dastar, sungkit, anyam
Ikat	Pua kumbu, limar
Drawing and stamping	Batik tulis, batik cap, telepuk
Embroidery and embellishment	Tekat, keringkam, kelingkan, sulam, kerawang
Plaiting	Basketry techniques in various fibres
Beadwork	Loom beading, stringing

Cash Prizes

Not just a celebration, but a challenge, rewarded the crème de la crème with two distinguished accolades per category: Best Traditional and Best Innovative, each carrying a substantial bounty of RM25,000. But the riches didn't stop there, as each category also bestowed a Special Mention, reserved for pieces that shone with commendable effort, graced with a RM10,000 prize.

Cash Prizes for the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards

The Threads of Time Exhibition

From the initial trumpet fanfare in April, the HGTA 2024 spanned across Malaysia with an exuberant celebration of heritage. The capstone, 'Bebenang Masa' - or 'Threads of Time' exhibition offered an array of this year's awe-inspiring, award-winning pieces. It stood as a testament to the burgeoning interest and participation from across the land, with submissions passionately crafted across six artistic domains.

Winners of Best Traditional Beadwork: Dato' Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir, Juliana anak Embrose, Elaine Chan

Winner of Best Traditional Embroidery and Embellishment: Zainap Muhi, Adiguru Salbiah Muhi, Norhajiah Osman

Winner of Best Innovative Embroidery & Embellishment, Danny bin Mohamad Zulkifli

Winner of Best Innovative Beadwork, Dr Kenny Loh

About the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards

In the vibrant heart of Malaysia, the Hasanah Gold Threads Awards emerge as a brilliant initiative by Yayasan Hasanah, capturing the essence of the nation's profoundly rich textile culture. It's not just about recognizing unparalleled craftsmanship and ingenuity in the textile domain; it's a vibrant crusade to stir broader recognition and cherish the myriad hues of Malaysia's cultural heritage.

Think of it—a splendid chance to throw the spotlight on Malaysia's ancestral textiles, all the while igniting a flame of innovation and paving the way for sustainable growth in this crucial industry. The Hasanah Gold Threads Awards isn't merely an event; it's a celebration, a crossroads where tradition meets tomorrow.

About Yayasan Hasanah

Launched as Khazanah Nasional Berhad's stand-alone impact-driven foundation, Yayasan Hasanah champions the continuation of a near-decade of Corporate Responsibility initiatives spearheaded by its parent sovereign wealth fund. With a mission far transcending mere financial aid, Yayasan Hasanah orchestrates a transformative ecosystem across Malaysia in key sectors: Education, Community Development, Environment, Arts and Public Spaces, and Knowledge.

Through fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and advocating for groundbreaking initiatives in these areas, Yayasan Hasanah aspires to catalyse meaningful social and community advancements under its banner of "Advancing Malaysia." For more insights, their endeavours and impact journey are detailed on www.yayasanhasanah.org.

The Hasanah Gold Threads Awards is a testament to Malaysia's enduring and thriving textile heritage. It is a platform where the past and the future harmoniously intertwine, creating a vibrant dialogue of tradition and innovation. As we usher in another year of these celebrations, anticipation weaves an intricate narrative of excitement and admiration, bearing the legacy of Malaysia's textile grandeur.

One thing is clear - Malaysian textiles are more than just craftworks; they are the colourful narratives of our cultural identity, spun through threads of history, garnished with a promise of a more inclusive and vibrant future.

Find out more about the esteemed Hasanah Gold Threads Awards here.