ZOE Tay sure has an eye for picking eyebrow-raising endorsement deals.

This time, the actress is the new brand ambassador for HuaXia Taimaobi Centre (S), a baby novelty gifts and souvenirs manufacturing company that was set up in 2004.

It specialises in calligraphy brushes made from 'foetal hair', while the handle is engraved with well-wishes and words of encouragement from parent to child and made from various materials such as bamboo, sandalwood, rosewood, ebony, ox horn and cloisonne. Prices range from $38 to $2,888.

The company also produces umbilical cord seal stamps, in which the cord is kept in coloured glaze, crystal or acrylic engraved with the baby's name, photograph and birthday.

It retails from $108 to $288.

Over the years, Zoe has engaged HuaXia Taimaobi Centre to make two sets of hair brushes - comprising one 'scholar's brush' for writing and two display brushes each - as commemorative birth gifts for her sons Brayden, 3, and Ashton, 7 months.

She used the hair that was shaved off during their first-month trimming done at her home.

She recalled that Brayden was 'crying throughout' and had 'a lot of hair', while Ashton's follicles were 'curlier and more brownish'.

She has also passed on her boys' umbilical cords which she used to store in boxes to the company for the stamp-making.

Zoe first heard about HuaXia Taimaobi Centre after receiving a voucher among the gifts showered on her when Brayden was born, and decided to engage their services.

Soon enough, a six-figure endorsement deal followed.

Mr Wilson Wang, the company's assistant manager, said: 'We picked Zoe because she was a customer of ours and we find that her gentle, warm and maternal image suitably represents our products.

'Singaporeans know that she's not only a top star, but that she also has two babies and projects a parent's love that can move people.'

HuaXia Taimaobi Centre, which was initially established in Huzhou, China, said it has already produced 20,000 pieces of 'foetal hair brushes' for more than 12,000 newborns in Singapore.

TREASURES

The 40-year-old actress told The New Paper in an interview yesterday: 'I intend to let my children learn Chinese calligraphy when they are older, then they can use the pens that have their own hair. It's so meaningful.

'We can keep the other pair for display. It has a dragon and phoenix on it. They are meant as engagement gifts for their future wives. (These traditional Chinese ideas are) a good way to remind my sons of their roots.'

Admitting that her own parents never left her any baby mementos, she added: 'Parents love their children so much, you'd want to keep everything that has to do with your kids' birth - from the buckles, name tags, umbilical cords, footprints and handprints.

'I treat all these as treasures.'

But because Zoe has drawn plenty of flak for her earlier endorsement deals and seeing the unusual nature of this one, is she worried she might spark a new controversy?

Few will forget her infamous 'I Swallow' Imedeen advertisement.

Then there's the brouhaha over how she fronted a slimming product while nursing Brayden and hawked powdered milk formula after gushing about the virtures of breastfeeding in media interviews.

Caldecott Hill's Ah Jie - who is currently filming her comeback Chinese drama, Woman Be Strong, after being out of action last year while pregnant with Ashton - replied matter-of-factly: 'I don't think so.

'It's not strange because this is something I relate to, just like how I used all the previous products.

'Some people might not know what they can use it for, but it's something for parents to keep for their children.

'You can share a nice memory with them when they grow up and also introduce Chinese culture to them.

'So I hope people (will not criticise this). This is for children, so why do you want to attack them?'