This Week We’re Celebrating The Year Of The Tiger!

This week celebrations for the lunar new year have taken place across the world. As 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, we’re taking a look at tigers in myth and folklore. We're also checking out how Stikins ® name labels are tough, durable protectors (of your kids’ kit) – just like tigers!

Celebrating The Year Of The Tiger

Some calendars feature a zodiac or cycle of 12 animals (or other symbols), which represent each new year. The zodiac symbol for 2022 is the water tiger.

Tigers feature in many myths and folklore – especially in Asian countries, which are the tiger’s natural habitat. For example:

• The tiger is the third animal in a number of zodiacs. In one story, a great race determined the order of the animals. To reach the finish line, each animal had to cross a river. The tiger came third because, although a good swimmer, it took all of the tiger’s strength and determination to overcome the river’s strong currents.
• Where many cultures think of lions as being “king of the animals”, in many Asian cultures the tiger assumes this role.
• Similarly, where European folklore features “werewolves” (humans that shapeshift into wolves), Asian folklore features “weretigers”.
• According to Chinese folklore, the stripes on a tiger’s head form the Chinese character 王, which means “king”. In Korean culture, tigers symbolise the “Mountain Spirit” and are known as “King of Mountain Animals” or “Mountain Lord”.
• According to Chinese mythology, the tiger was one of four super-intelligent creatures. Ancient Chinese astronomers divided the sky into four regions (called the Four Symbols) and named them after each creature as the Black Tortoise of the North, Azure Dragon of the East, Vermilion Bird of the South, and White Tiger of the West. Each creature also represented one of the four seasons – Tortoise with Winter, Dragon with Spring, Tiger with Autumn, and Bird with Summer.
• Chinese mythology also told of five tigers, which held the cosmic forces of the universe in balance. These were black tiger (governs water and winter), blue tiger (governs earth and spring), red tiger (governs fire and summer), white tiger (governs metal and autumn), and yellow tiger (governs the other tigers and symbolises the sun and air).
• Some folklore refers to tigers turning white when they reach 500 years of age (before living for an entire millennium). In Korean lore, tigers turn white after enduring many trials and reaching a special understanding of the world. According to Chinese lore, a tiger's spirit will enter the earth after death and become amber. This is why one Chinese term for amber means “Soul of the Tiger”.
• Tigers feature as protectors and guardians in many cultures. Some believe that images and statues of tigers will keep away dangerous creatures, disease, and evil – and prevent quarrels. People may wear tiger charms to bring good luck, protection, and courage. Tombs and monuments often carry depictions of tigers, which stand guard over the dead and protect them against evil spirits.
• In Chinese culture, tigers represent the greatest earthly power and provide protection over human life. One belief says that tigers chase away the "three disasters" of fire, thieves and ghosts.

Name Labels That Are Tough As Tigers!

Most of our name labels are used to label kids’ stuff, which means they need to be able to cope with the rough and tumble of childhood. This is why our name labels are made with tough and durable materials – to make sure they stay put!

We combine an advanced synthetic face material with a super strong (and unique!) adhesive.

Our material is extremely soft and flexible BUT it’s also super strong. This means that our labels are gentle against skin and are equally at home on surfaces that are hard, soft, flat, or curved. This is especially important for labelling clothes, where the labels stick firmly onto the flexible wash-care label – and flex along with the label instead of peeling away.

They’re also strong enough to cope with whatever gets thrown at them (sometimes literally)!

Our unique adhesive is super strong and resilient. It creates strong adhesive bonds and, more importantly, maintains those bonds through a range of challenging conditions. This includes washing machines and tumble dryers, as well as dishwashers, microwaves, and sinks.

Put together, our material and adhesive create super tough and durable name labels that stick on and stay on.

Order Stikins ® Name Labels For Your Tiger Cubs Today!

Stikins ® name labels are available in packs of 30, 60, 90, 120, or 240 name labels. Order online at any time or order by phone during office hours (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri). We despatch name labels up to 3pm, Monday to Friday. This means we despatch all orders on the same or next working day. Delivery is free and uses Royal Mail’s first class service.

Don’t forget to pounce on our current offer; order three or more packs of name labels and you’ll receive a 10% discount.