The Chinese Lunar New Year 2025 began on 29 January, marking the start of the Year of the Snake. While people and organisations celebrate this in various ways, Holography & Optical Technology News® focuses on a few innovative industry developments welcoming the year of the snake.
One example is the K Laser’s latest 2025 – Year of the Snake calendar. Produced by K LASER Design Lab on a rainbow pattern, it creates a holographic effect reminiscent of a snake’s body, enhanced by a vibrant spectrum finish. The hologram pairs seamlessly with unconventional colour combinations, delivering a unique visual experience.
Another example, as noted in the January issue of this newsletter, is China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation (CBPM) unveiling its latest commemorative banknote – the 20 yuan 2025 Year of the Snake.
Released on 16 December 2024, it follows the successful 2024 Year of the Dragon note and continues the tradition of celebrating Chinese zodiac animals through innovative currency design. CBPM will be issuing 12 such notes in total, one per year, with all to be produced on polymer at the company’s new printworks in Guangzhou.
The vertically oriented obverse showcases a central snake motif, the National Emblem of China in the upper left corner, a colour- changing denomination number’ 20’ using SPARK optically variable ink, and a combined holographic and colour shift LiveColor® stripe over a window at the bottom, which displays vibrant colour changes when the note is tilted.
The reverse side tells a story of Chinese culture through depictions of children engaging in the tradition of hanging a Spring Festival couplet, architectural elements from Shanxi Province in northern China, and multilingual text representing China’s Diverse ethnic groups.
Houth Team created the Turning Fortune Snake Gift Box for Auchentoshan, seamlessly blending the brand’s signature colour scheme and identity with its spirit of innovation and precision. Inspired by the Snake Year, the gift box celebrates a fresh start to the new year while symbolising Auchentoshan’s resilience and prosperity.
The design process embraced advanced techniques, incorporating layered embossing and intricate foiling to achieve a striking visual effect. In collaboration with Designers, the Houth Team crafted three distinctive ‘Turning Fortune Snake’ designs, combining traditional cultural elements with contemporary aesthetics.
