Chisato ShizumeCMYK is an experimental creative group organized by All Japan Federation of Printing Industry Associations. It runs a project called ‘Oogiri Insatsu’ (Insatsu is a Japanese word for print), which is a unique initiative to create playful products inspired by requests from Twitter users.
The printing market is shrinking in volume in recent years due to the development of web media and computers. Many who are engaged in the printing industry are closing or integrating businesses. However, over 4,500 companies that are members of the All Japan Federation of Printing Industry Associations are confident to use their creativity and outstanding skills to help the society become more enjoyable and enriching. CMYK was organized to appeal this creativity and to revitalize the printing industry as a whole.
This is the second time Oogiri Insatsu project released comical yet functional inventions following the first project in January 2019. In the last project, four printing companies participated and each developed a creative product using scrap material generated during production processes. Fun and environmental products went viral: a flipbook machine with smartphone stands to make your original animation effortlessly; a bento box disguised as a dictionary for students who want to each lunch during class without being noticed.
This year, 10 printing companies participated in the project, creating 11 innovative products. What’s remarkable about Oogiri Insatsu is not only its uniqueness, but that it shows just how creative upcycling can be, let alone its sustainability.
Examples of the new, creative lineup
(1) Bathe-with-a-masterpiece Bath Powder
Take the framed masterpiece to your bathtub and enjoy your bath time! The picture is actually made of bath powder and melts as soon as you sink it in the bathtub.
(2) Don’t worry about forgetting or running out of business cards, print it on the spot!
A portable letterpress machine will save you from trouble. Just use any piece of paper and place it in your original letterpress machine, and your card will be ready in seconds!
(3) (FLOWERINK) Looking for an ideal humidifier that will light up your room?
What looks like a rose turns out to be a humidifier. Place the flower in a vase, the petals gradually turn red as they absorb water.
Mottainai leads a reuse trend in Japan
Awareness is growing among people in Japan to repurpose goods. Traditionally, Japanese lived with the ‘mottainai’ culture, so reuse or upcycling goods were part of people’s lifestyle. But as the country’s economy grew, the society moved towards mass consumption. People left behind mottainai spirit and craved for new goods.
However, now the world faces unprecedented environmental problems. People are learning how mass production and consumption drain our natural resources. So repurposing waste materials is once again becoming part of the consumption cycle.
For example, MODECO is a Japanese brand that manufactures goods from industrial waste. It upcycles fireman material, flooring material, seat belts and tire tubes into fashionable bags and backpacks. Each bag is designed to represent the original material but is sophisticated at the same time.
Like so, upcycling in Japan, namely the new mottainai culture is different from the traditional style because now what is upcycled is refined and cultured.
Products that are created for Oogiri Insatsu project are full of creative ideas. And the scrap materials used to make them are so well refined, it proves scraps are no longer waste but respectable resource when combined with creativity. Tweet your wish on Twitter, it may become the next creative product from Oogiri Insatsu.
[Reference] Oogiri Insatsu[Reference] Youtube playlist of the products
