Samsung Silver Willow Township

Samsung Silver Willow Township is a group of local young people from Yilan who have joined hands with local flower farmers to find new possibilities for the once-declining silver willow industry. With "silver willow" as the core, they start from local agriculture and combine creative design, educational experiences and circular applications to revitalize the value and future of this traditional crop.

Since ancient times, the silver willow has symbolized wealth and good fortune, making it a highly representative plant for the Lunar New Year. Yilan, with its unique climate and water quality, has nurtured high-quality silver willows with full, silvery-white leaves and sturdy branches, and once boasted a vast, flourishing industry. However, with changing market habits, the demand for silver willows has gradually become limited to the Lunar New Year season, posing a challenge to the industry.

Faced with this transformation, the team chose to rediscover the possibilities of burl willow. They believe that burl willow is not just a festive flower, but also a natural, environmentally friendly local material that carries local cultural memories. Through product development and innovative design, burl willow has been extended to various fields such as floral design, household goods, educational experiences, creative DIY, and environmentally friendly materials, allowing this traditional crop to enter a wider range of daily life.

In their sustainability practices, the team has further developed the process of burning silver willow branches into biochar, which is then used to create natural dehumidifying and deodorizing sachets. These sachets can be used in living spaces such as shoe cabinets, wardrobes, and car interiors. Not only are they environmentally friendly and practical, but the biochar can also be recycled as a soil amendment, creating a sustainable circular economy. In addition, byproducts are redesigned into cultural and creative products such as coasters and willow twigs, combining practicality with cultural significance, allowing the resources to realize their full potential.

From farmland to creativity, the Yinliu Cultural and Creative Team uses a six-level transformation approach to connect production, processing, design, experience, and education. This transforms Yinliu from a plant that only briefly appears during the Lunar New Year into an understandable, usable, and experiential part of daily life. For them, transformation is not about abandoning tradition, but about allowing tradition to continue in a new form, opening up another possibility for Taiwanese agriculture, local culture, and sustainable innovation.