Banner #10: – Handcrafted Menu Book with MEMU™ Lamb Logo

Banner

Didn’t Expect Banners Could be so Much Fun

Legend has it that in ancient times, natural materials such as oracle bones, stones, clay, wood planks, bamboo slips, animal bones, animal skins, teeth, grass, and so on were used as a means of exchange, communication, and trade. They were also used for labeling and marking, with one of the most classic examples being the “banner,” which is widely used as a storefront advertisement. Some may have noticed that the word “banner” has a similar pronunciation to the Chinese word Bannet「匾額」, which has been used to describe similar objects since ancient times. So what is the connection between this and the word MENU「菜單」?

Evidence: Remains of restaurants in Pompeii, Italy

In Taiwan over 700 years ago (in the year 960 AD), there was already a diverse range of choices for food items, and even though they were recorded on a single sheet of paper or a wooden board, they were known as “菜單” or “菜牌” (menu). However, there is no evidence or written records to support this claim, and it is possible that we may find answers by exploring museums.

Let’s start with the word “bank”, which sounds like “貝殼” (shells). In prehistoric times, shell currency was used for trade and exchange, and the “Monetaria moneta” shells were widely found in the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Although we are not going to delve into the topic of currency economy, it is important to note that the biggest source of these shells was Taiwan, suggesting a prosperous economy at the time with traders from all over the world.

Through the evolution of time, the menu transformed from a shrunken version of a “匾額” (banner), also known as “菜牌”, which was hung on the wall and used as a smaller, more portable version to facilitate reading during crowded dining times. Originally, there were painted murals or hanging signs on the walls, but as civilization evolved, diners could sit at their tables and order from the menu, allowing for a more comfortable dining experience. This led to the popularization of the term “菜單” or “菜牌” (menu).

Formosa Taiwan

Double Sided Banner

Hard plastic sheets can be replaced. Extremely bright hard plastic sheets can be used for writing and as a checklist.

All kinds of materials can be used to make them, with mixed colors and designs. The hard plastic sheets are replaceable and can be written on for easy customization. They are battery-free for convenient use and the printing process is seamless for a sleek finish. They can be made single or double-sided, without size limitations, and can be tailored to any creative idea. The key feature is durability. Do you know why they are called “菜單” in Taiwan? During a time of scarce resources, the only way to present available options was to put them on individual cards or boards. Over time, this evolved into what we now know as the “menu”.

Material: Genuine leather, synthetic leather, functional fabric
Processing: Hot stamping, computer embroidery, engraving
Binding: Hard transparent sheet replaceable by pulling
Inner pages: Ordinary cultural paper

Our store offers unique single-sided and double-sided menu cards that allow for writing, drawing, and checking off items. They are durable and can be wiped clean for repeated use. The plastic film is also replaceable and does not require electricity.

Reference Number: J1

We document the entire process of creating our wooden menus, from start to finish, and take care of everything in-house. Our commissioned orders are also kept confidential and secure.

Synthetic Leather Material color ranking recommendation

Functional Cloth Material color ranking recommendation

顏色繁多不及備載，顯示器顯色一定會有色差以出貨為主，瀏覽更多請點選材質簿
一份永續經營概念的菜單本有機會可以用10年，只需用心經營，毋須煩惱菜單本媒介的堪用值，獨步凝香技術讓 MENU 本都能香香的，平時多清潔能有效抗菌抑制異味，SGS 驗證嚴防黴菌毒素無意間進入饕客口中。

Genuine Leather Material color ranking recommendation

There are numerous colors available, but we cannot list them all. Due to differences in display color, the actual product may differ slightly from the photo. For more information, please refer to our material book.

A sustainable menu book with a lifespan of up to 10 years can be achieved with attentive management. You don’t have to worry about the durability of the menu book. Our unique technology also allows the menu book to have a pleasant aroma, and regular cleaning can effectively prevent bacterial growth and eliminate odors. Our product is SGS certified, preventing mold and toxins from entering the mouths of our customers, ensuring you can enjoy your food with peace of mind.

客房菜單

Our custom menus are one-of-a-kind and can be tailored to the buyer’s preferences. For room service menus, we intentionally make them thick and sturdy to prevent them from being taken away, but we can also make them small and thin based on the buyer’s needs. The materials used for the inside and outside of the menu can be mixed and matched to provide a wide range of options. We recommend using a four-hole metal clip for quick and easy replacement of the pages during events.

We support a variety of fine art papers for the inner pages.

The inner pages of this design utilize our proprietary technology, which includes cardboard pages, and is one of our recommended options. The entire series features pages that can be easily added, removed, or replaced, and we support the purchase of various types of fine art paper, waterproof paper, cardboard pages, and magazine paper for the inner pages. If you prefer not to use PVC materials, the aforementioned materials can be purchased separately for use as inner pages. However, only our shop’s products feature inner pages that are easy to flip, durable, without rebounding, and without cracking or splitting along the spine. For estimated production time and costs, please feel free to inquire.

Cardboard inner pages

This image shows a close-up comparison of the 1mm thick side-sealed edge of a cardboard inner page. The area circled in red is where the inner page is easily touched, so it has been folded and sealed to prevent the pages from splitting, effectively extending the lifespan of the inner pages. Side-sealed cardboard inner pages are one of the original and recommended options for inner pages offered by our store.

General Sika paper inner page

This image shows a close-up comparison of the side edge of a commonly used 220-pound thickness cultural paper. The red circle indicates the area where the edge is most likely to be touched and also the easiest to fork. Therefore, our shop has applied a technique to round the edges slightly to reduce the frequency of forking, but it will eventually still fork.