Karino AyakoSaturday Factory in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture, is the base for a group of craftsmen who specialize in creating quality interior goods. They developed the Planklip, a connector that can be used to attach planks and boards to build shelves, stools, desks, and other furniture.
The Planklip fasteners can simply be attached at the corners of boards to hold them together, without the need for any tools or glue. The clip is made of stainless steel, meaning it is resistant to rust and can be reused many times. This unique, sustainable product came to life through US crowdfunding website Kickstarter in 2018, thanks to the cooperation of people in 13 countries around the world. The idea has even been published in a thesis in Spain, and it’s now available in more than 20 stores nationwide.
In addition to the Planklip clips, Saturday Factory released drawings of DIY furniture online so that people get an idea of how to make their furniture using the Planklip fasteners. One issue noted on social media, however, was that it can be difficult to cut boards to the right size. Saturday Factory provided a solution to this problem by taking Planklip a step further. In September this year, the company released five types of “Planklip Furniture” kits, including a stool, a table, and a playhouse. Now, customers can simply attach the boards—already cut to the right size—with the Planklip clips to make their own sustainable furniture. The company also provided an easy-to-follow YouTube video to help people make the furniture themselves. Because it’s all put together without any screws or glue, the simple furniture is also easy to dismantle. This means it is perfect for temporary use, like in outdoor settings or at events where you need to set up booths or chairs and tables.
Moreover, Saturday Factory uses local Japanese cypress and cedar for their Planklip Furniture kits. Japanese cypress and cedar grow naturally in the mountains in Japan, and when they are fully grown, and they need to be cut down for circulation purposes. Hanno City in Saitama Prefecture, where the Saturday Factory is based, is a production center for Nishikawa lumber—a well-known kind of lumber supplied to Edo, or ancient Tokyo, from the olden days. There are many factories in the region that process cypress and cedar cut down from nearby mountains—Saturday Factory uses them for their boards. Using local wood can help reduce transportation energy and cost as well.
Saturday Factory regards timber that is cultivated and circulated in the region to be closely related to revitalizing the local industry and society. They hope to continue searching for materials and areas that they can circulate and explore how they can link it with traditional style manufacturing. Through Planklip and Planklip Furniture, Saturday Factory aims to create a simple but non-disposable interior that people can use for a very long time.
