MS Features: The women simplifying Chinese traditions for modern Singaporeans
For some Singaporeans, Chinese praying traditions are a familiar part of growing up.
However, for the younger generations, knowing what to offer, how to perform certain rituals, or what different types of joss paper represent, can sometimes feel overwhelming.
That was something Tricia Teh and Jace Phang noticed while reflecting on their own upbringing in Taoist families.
Rather than seeing the traditions as something that needed to change, the duo wondered if there was a way to make them easier to understand and practise.
That eventually led them to start Roots and Paper, a Singapore brand focused on reimagining traditional Chinese praying products for modern families, in Feb 2026.
Starting from scratch
For Tricia, the decision to start the company marked a major shift in direction.
Before Roots and Paper, she spent more than two decades in the corporate technology industry, taking on senior regional roles and leading teams across Asia.
She had the stability and professional recognition that came with an established career.
However, she found herself asking if she was creating the kind of impact she wanted to leave behind.
Having grown up in a Taoist family, Chinese traditions and praying practices had always been part of her life. Over time, however, she noticed a growing disconnect.
Image courtesy of Roots and Paper
Many younger families still wanted to continue these traditions, but modern lifestyles could make them feel complicated and inconvenient.
Some were unsure what offerings to prepare, how to perform rituals correctly, or even what the customs they were practising meant.
Tricia also noticed that traditional praying products often came with single-use plastic packaging, while large amounts of offerings and packaging could be left behind after major festivals.
To her, the problem was not that people had stopped caring about tradition. Instead, they needed a simpler way to practise it.
In 2026, she left her corporate career to build Roots and Paper from the ground up.
A shared interest brought founders together
Jace’s path to the business was different.
After graduating, she began her career in advertising before moving into entrepreneurship.
Over the next decade, she co-founded businesses spanning printing services, personalised gifts, and e-commerce.
Those experiences taught her about business, branding and resilience.
Image courtesy of Roots and Paper
At the same time, Jace developed a deeper interest in Taoism and began exploring the philosophy and Chinese traditions she had grown up around but never fully understood.
She and Tricia would often spend hours discussing Taoist philosophy, Chinese traditions, deities, and praying practices.
Conversations between the two eventually led to a bigger question: how could they help more people continue these traditions with confidence?
For Jace, the answer became the foundation of Roots and Paper.
Making prayers easy to understand
The founders believe there are three main challenges faced by modern practitioners.
Firstly, Chinese prayer traditions can feel increasingly complex for younger generations.
Next, people may know what they want to pray for, be it health, prosperity, academic success, relationships, career advancement or blessings for a new home but may not know which offerings are appropriate.
Lastly, traditional prayer products have remained largely unchanged, with packaging and post-prayer cleanup creating additional inconvenience.
Source: Roots and Paper
In response, Roots and Paper aims to simplify the experience without changing the traditions.
Its intention-based prayer kits are curated around specific blessings, and come with selected prayer items and step-by-step guidance.
Among them are a Academic Booster Kit and a Love & Relationship Blessings Kit.
The brand has also designed its Hungry Ghost Festival collection around convenience and sustainability.
This includes 100% plastic-free packaging and disposable paper incense and candle holders intended to make cleanup easier.
Source: Roots and Paper
“As praying traditions are deeply rooted in culture, introducing modern ideas such as plastic-free packaging, clearer prayer guides, and thoughtfully designed products requires careful communication,” the founders shared.
“We also spend a lot of time educating customers on the meaning behind different praying items, as many people are unsure of their purpose.”
“We set up, you pray”
Roots and Paper is also looking beyond just selling products.
The company also provides end-to-end prayer services for families and businesses, covering everything from consultation and preparation to altar setup, prayer rituals and post-prayer cleanup.
Its approach is summed up simply as “WE SETUP. YOU PRAY”.
Services include Qingming ancestor prayers, death anniversary memorial services, and Hungry Ghost Festival corporate prayers.
Source: Roots and Paper
Since starting Roots and Paper, the founders say the experience has been both exciting and humbling.
“We’ve been encouraged by the positive response from customers who appreciate our efforts to make traditional praying practices more accessible while preserving their cultural significance,” they said.
“Over time, we’ve expanded from curated praying products to complete praying services for families and businesses, and continue to develop products that make praying more convenient and easier to understand.”
Busy with Hungry Ghost Festival
The team is currently busy with the ongoing Hungry Ghost Festival, one of the busiest periods of the year.
“Right now, we’re busy with the seventh month, with our Ancestors’ Hampers being one of our most popular offerings,” they added.
The founders also shared that they designed their Hungry Ghost Festival collection with convenience, sustainability, and NEA’s guidelines on responsible praying practices in mind.
Source: Roots and Paper
Its seventh month sets feature 100% plastic-free packaging and disposable incense and candle holders, helping worshippers avoid placing incense and candles directly on public surfaces while making post-prayer cleanup easier.
They have also seen an increase in seventh month sales, which they believe reflects customers’ appreciation for these practical and environmentally conscious features.
As a two-person team, the pair continues to manage every aspect of the business themselves.
Image provided by Roots and Paper
“From product development and sourcing to marketing and customer service, we’ve had to manage every aspect of the business ourselves, which has been challenging but incredibly rewarding,” they said.
For Tricia and Jace, the goal is ultimately not to modernise traditions simply for the sake of it.
Instead, they want to remove some of the barriers that can make traditional practices difficult for busy families today.
They believe traditions can remain meaningful while the way people practise them continues to evolve.
And for Roots and Paper, preserving Chinese praying traditions may simply begin with making them easier for the next generation to understand, practise and pass on.
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Featured image courtesy of Roots and Paper.
