For cute and clever, see Qualy

LOTS OF people have key holders hanging on their walls at home, but how many have ones that look like a miniature doghouse – and when you insert your key in the “keyhole” for safekeeping, a little dog pops out ready to protect it? It’s like a whacky version of a cuckoo clock, minus the chimes and cheeping.

This was one of three cute ideas that recently won the decade-old Thai firm Qualy a Design Excellence Award (DEmark) from the government’s Department of International Trade Promotion.

Another Qualy key holder looks like an owl slumbering atop a key ring, but its eyes pop open the moment a key is hung on the ring. And the third winning notion is a brace of bookends resembling a mountain with six little animal cut-outs clinging to its sides. The catchy gimmick is that the animals, split at the tail ends, can be plucked from the hillside and used as bookmarks.

The three notions were among 60 products winning this year’s DEmark awards, and Qualy is well ahead when it comes to fame thanks to its funky little items that double as home decor. Seven more of its products made it to the final round of the DEmark competition, all environmentally minded, utilising the shapes of animals and plants, recyclable polymer as the main material, and natural-extract colours.

“Our core concept is in the brand name – ‘q’ for quality, ‘u’ for unique, ‘a’ for aesthetics, ‘l’ for long-lasting and ‘y’ for you,” says co-founder |and design director Teerachai Suppameteekulwat. “We use animals and plants for a sense of nature, but functionality is the top priority. And the gimmick is usually hidden, so it always puts a smile on people’s faces.”

The “mountain” bookends also come in the form of an iceberg with six different wild animals perched on its stepped sides. And there’s a peacock alternative to the Watchdog and Night Owl key holders. The bird’s tail fans out with pride when you entrust it with your key.

Qualy’s Dachshund and My Deer each have six individual magnets arranged in the animal’s shapes. Scramble them as you wish for extra giggles. Inside each magnet is red colouring to represent blood.

For house parties, there are glass forks in shape of “cool” animals from the North Pole and “hot” ones from the tropics. Markings on the fork help you keep track of your own glass in the crowd. “This way you don’t have to use toothpicks,” Teerachai says, “and it’s also a lot of fun picking the animal you think represents you best. You can be a tiger, a lion, a polar bear or a penguin. The puma might be best for your boss, and the deer might be a good choice for a humble co-worker.” 

Penguin on Ice is a playful popsicle-maker. Pour your favourite drink into the iceberg-shaped mould and freeze it. The cap, designed to protect your hand from the sticky melting ice, looks like a penguin. The whole thing comes apart for easy cleaning.

The Sparrow Tray is also a boon at parties, or at any meal, protecting food and particularly sweets from invading ants. Water sits in the space underneath, forming a moat that crawling insects can’t broach – as if the watchful little sparrow sitting on top weren’t daunting enough. Again, all the parts are separate, so you can keep the tray in the fridge without the stand. 

The Four Seasons tray is a stylish washing-up drainer that can also be placed on the dining table as a display base for four drinking glasses. It features four plants – representing autumn, winter, spring and summer – that also help identify whose glass belongs to whom. 

Qualy’s innovative products are exported to 50 countries in Europe, the US and elsewhere in Asia. In Bangkok they’re available at its own store at Asiatique the Riverfront, in Siam Paragon’s BeTrend zone and at the Room Concept Store at EmQuartier.

 

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The Qualy store is in Section E7 of Warehouse No 8 at Asiatique the Riverfront on Charoenkrung Road in Bangkok. 

It’s open daily from 5 to 11pm.

Find out more at (02) 108 3402 and www.QualyDesign.com.