SIWA KOUZO Collection
Fusion of modern design and traditional meticulous craftsmanship
message from the designer
Washi paper often gives the impression of being gentle, soft, warm, and friendly, while it has the qualities of resiliency, strength, and gradation and texture of leather. I wanted to give shape to the feeling that we light up when seeing the special charm of washi paper.
With no extra decorations, the meticulous design brings out the beauty of washi to the full extent possible. Combined with leather and fabric while balancing with functionality, washi crafts of this collection are designed with the stitching lines in mind.KOUZO Bags with subtle nuances are suitable for Japanese and Western-style wardrobes and uplift your spirit. I hope you will enjoy KOUZO just like choosing your favorite jewelry, watch or shoes for a special occasion.
about SIWA KOUZO
With a minimum design by designer Fumie Shibata, a new collection “KOUZO” has arrived. It brings out a new value of Kouzo, or paper mulberry, washi paper, an example of traditional craftsmanship.
This collection embodies the sense of modest and luxury through the combination of timeless design with natural materials and elaborate design.
Washi paper, which has been part of the Japanese lifestyle for over 1000 years, boasts various aesthetic qualities depending on the region and climate.
We further pursue the possibility of this sustainable, traditional material.
This collection offers delicately handmade Kouzo washi paper crafts of natural materials with a free design perspective. Softly touching the feelings and sensitivity of a person and bringing special joy and pleasure to everyday life – this is what KOUZO Collection aspires to.
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about SIWA
SIWA is born in 2008, a washi called naoron developed with the aim of a shoji paper which is hardly broken. This brand began a meeting with Naoto Fukasawa.
Washi was shoji, fusuma(Japanese traditional paper sliding door), clothes and bedding closely related to Japanese life from the beginning. However translation of the time, they gradually disappear from our life. Naoto Fukasawa is making best use of a material characteristics, he discovered possibility of washi universalize that usable without incongruity sense in a modern life.
SIWA KOUZO Collection is designed for special days among the everyday-use products of SIWA.As a material, strong fibered Kouzo has been commonly used for making washi paper.
Growing Kouzo trees, preparing materials, making washi paper, and processing it with persimmon tannin, shell lime, and red iron oxide, we delicately make it into a bag one by one.
The manufactured by Onao. These washi products are lovingly, individually crafted in Ichikawadaimon, Yamanashi, which boasts a 1000 year history of paper making.