Having skin problems led Ms Chew to make her own natural soaps, and she found that there were others suffering from the same issues.
Singapore's first Design & Make Fair aims to showcase the growing number of people designing and making their own products.
Whether it's down to necessity or a simple need to get back to working with their hands, people have started making things themselves. The upsurge in local designers and makers is undeniable; and the trend in Singapore has not gone unnoticed.
Jeffrey Ho, executive director of DesignSingapore Council, says: "We've seen an increasing number of design enthusiasts, students, children, and the general public engaging in more hands-on activities."
To cater to this, DesignSingapore Council has launched its inaugural Design and Make Fair as a part of Singapore Design Week this year. Held at the National Design Centre, the fair will feature 38 different brands and the hope is to "provide a platform for the expression of innovation and creativity to inspire a wide range of audiences".
Mr Ho adds: "Visitors can look forward to hands-on activities using craft and traditional materials to design and create products using everyday things for everyday living. This is in addition to a showcase of works by local makers and designers."
Magnetic Mini Houses bookends from Concreate.
As for the maker's movement in Singapore, one of the participants, Jeannie Chew, founder of natural soap-maker Soaplah, says: "When I was younger, we'd make manual repairs like sew tears in clothing when needed, and it's interesting that it got lost along the way. It's good to see the rising interest in making things yourself because it means we might be shifting away from the buy-use-throw economy we've cultivated."
The Design and Make Fair will be on from March 8-20 (11am to 8pm) at The National Design Centre, 111 Middle Road.
Check out a list of shops at the Design & Make Fair here!
This article was adapted from an article in The Business Times.