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Chinese military veteran uses animal designs to create "bedding zoo" at local supermarket in Shanghai

(People's Daily Online) 16:55, October 08, 2021

Pan Xuedong, a military veteran, has made the most of his skills learnt while in the army and has since become an expert designer at a supermarket in Shanghai – demonstrating his proficiency in fashioning together various animal toys out of bedding set items such as quilts.

Pan Xuedong shows his co-workers how to make a "rabbit" out of a towel. (Photo/chinanews.com)

After serving in the army for five years, Pan was demobilized in 2006 and began working in RT-Mart in Shanghai where he was responsible for folding up the store’s quilts. Over the past 15 years, he has designed more than 500 animal shapes made of bedclothes, including quilts, bed sheets and daily necessities such as towels, turning the supermarket into an exhibition of fashionable designs.

Pan said that he used to be a soldier of the armed police force. During his military service, he often would take the first prize in “quilt making” competitions. "I didn't think making beds would be my future career," Pan joked.

“There were no standards or regulations for displays that were commonly agreed on by the whole industry in 2006,” Pan recalled, adding that “the idea of making animal toys out of these bedclothes suddenly came to me. I gave it a try casually. Gradually, I developed my own style for making them."

Photo shows Pan Xuedong and his self-made "monkey". (Photo/chinanews.com)

“Take this monkey made of a brownish-grey towel as an example. It took me 15 minutes to come up with this idea. It’s easy to make and can be done at home,” said Pan.

With more and more designs created over time, the supermarket has gradually been transformed into Pan’s own “bedding zoo”. Netizens have also called these "animals" made out of store goods as the “art of supermarkets”, which made Pan very proud.

Pan said that through his efforts he was willing to offer small surprises to customers during their shopping experience, which could help make them feel more relaxed as they shopped. 

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)

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