Detail

Meet Ms Mabel Low, a Singapore Polytechnic (SP) Alumna who married her love of paper and florals to launch a successful business in the midst of the circuit breaker.

Graduating in 2012 with a Diploma in Experience and Product Design (DXPD), SP Alumna Ms Mabel Low is now the founder of paper floral studio, Papersynthesis.

After struggling to keep her houseplants alive, Ms Low experimented with paper plants and shared the beautiful results online. As public interest in her artwork steadily grew, it gave her the confidence to make designing paper florals her fulltime business. Now an entrepreneur, Ms Low expands her horizons by venturing into teaching and brand collaborations. As an adjunct lecturer at SP, she shares her experiences and expertise with future designers.

It All Started at SP

Looking back, Ms Low explained how a school project sparked her love for paper. Students had to replicate any electrical product with paper and Ms Low decided to replicate a hair straightener, complete with an open and close function and a locking mechanism. Her final project impressed her lecturer, which led her to experiment with paper across her academic career and become an entrepreneur in paper crafts.

When asked why she kept returning to paper as an art medium, Ms Low shared, “I really enjoy working with paper. When I work with paper, I can feel and understand it simply by touch.”

Highlights of SP

Ms Low shares how internship opportunities and overseas exchanges were the highlights of her time at SP.

During an overseas internship to Milan, she met several renowned designers and learnt exhibition management first-hand. Through her experience in managing the large-scale event, she discovered her joy in leading her peers to achieve a successful outcome.

On another student exchange to Dalian, China, Ms Low improved her Adobe Illustrator skills. Ms Low credits her lecturer, Mr Winston for being patient and showing her the ropes of the programme, which gave her the skills she now uses to design her paper florals.

Campus Culture of Care at SP

Ms Low reminisces about the unique learning environment at SP and how it allowed her to flourish.

“One thing that stood out to me was the amount of peer learning. Even if we were working on individual projects, our lecturers encouraged us to work in groups. This way we got different perspectives on our work and learned from each other. The lecturers were also always ready to help us. Whenever we wanted to consult them, they happily heard us out and helped develop our ideas.”

As students with little access to the product design industry, Ms Low credits her adjunct lecturers for sharing their real-world experiences and for being the best sounding board to discuss ideas.

“I really admired these lecturers as they had a lot to offer. They were experienced in their own fields and offered different perspectives; it was just so amazing to be learning from them. Till today I remember all of my lecturers. What’s more, after graduation, my lecturers eventually became my colleagues.”

Challenges of an Entrepreneur

Ms Low also gives us a peek into the entrepreneurial world and how it may not be as easy as it’s portrayed on social media.

She made it clear that running your own business does not equate to having more free time. As a craftsperson, the time taken to craft varies from job to job. “If you want to be a maker and start a business, consider it properly. That’s because if you work for someone, you get scheduled leaves and weekends off. With my own business, I provide for these myself. I get tired from the work and stress involved so be aware that starting your own business is a huge decision to make.”

Advice for SP Alumni

When asked to give advice to graduating students, Ms Low shares the importance of not being afraid to fail. She encourages students to step out of their comfort zones to gain new and exciting experiences. 

“I step out of my comfort zone to hold workshops, to become an adjunct lecturer and teach so that I can have that experience. So, if you decide to pursue a new direction, don’t be scared to try it out for a few months. There’s no harm even if it fails. If you don’t try it out when you’re young then when are you going to do it? So don’t be afraid. Just do it.”

Ms Mabel Low
Founder of Papersynthesis
Diploma in Experience & Product Design, 2012