Shupatto

"Folding is a bother." "I can't get it back into its original shape." "I lose its pouch." The creation of Shupatto was motivated by hearing people making such comments about eco bags. Although they feel a bit of stress, many thinking that is inevitable, give in and use them anyway. Our wish has been to change that situation.

As people fold eco-bags, many tend to follow the fold creases in the fabric. Another hint came from non-woven work caps worn for product inspection. These strips of accordion-like folds stretch out to become a cap, and return to their original shape when the ends are pulled. We wondered if we could make use of this structure. The idea of bags that fold up all at once, with pleats and creases in the fabric, originated from there.

Turing the idea into products began with cloth prototypes made with sewing machines, and their various aspects including structures, sizes, strengths, and light weights were each repeatedly tested and adjusted. What was important was for even those picking one up for the first time to be able to use it intuitively. The bothersome folding action has turned into something exhilarating and fun, as the onomatopoeic Shupatto name suggests. While the ideas inherent to its creation carry on, Shupatto continues evolving, and its scope has expanded beyond bags.