Japanese Principles: Design and Resources

This term combines the Buddhist-origin word “mottai”, referring to the essence of things, with the particle “nai”, which signifies negation in Japanese.

The artisan Ikuya Sagara, for example, uses the straw from this grain to build roofs, using an ancient Japanese technique called kayabuki. Specifically for the exhibition at JHSP, Sagara created a new work using the same techniques, but with a different plant: Reed. This plant is cultivated by many Japanese-origin families in the city of Registro, São Paulo, offering the potential for new cycles of resource use after the exhibition ends.

The material’s properties were utilized to dye it a unique shade of black, enhanced further by the addition of the brand’s signature technique, Steam Stretch, which gives the pleated fabric added movement and lightness.

Designer Kosuke Araki, on the other hand, created stools made from rice, sawdust, and jute, called “RRR,” which stands for Rice-Reinforced Roll. This term refers to the use of rice paste combined with other materials to form a durable yet lightweight design.

Additionally, Anima, a line of crockery made from dehydrated food waste combined with urushi, Japanese lacquer, will be on display, showcasing durable and waterproof utensils.

This technique transforms plant fibers into lightweight fabrics. At the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to see up close a kimono crafted using this technique, with a design focused on minimizing fabric waste during production.

The artisans have created 100 shades of blue using the indigo plant in a sustainable production process, where the dye solution used for coloring is repurposed as fertilizer for the plantation itself.

The PORTER bag brand, in collaboration with Toray Industries Inc., has developed the world’s first 100 percent plant-based nylon, made from castor beans and corn. The brand has renewed models from its most iconic line, called TANKER, using this innovative material.

The chair is made from waste paper used in the production of the pleated fabric that defines the ISSEY MIYAKE brand.

At the exhibition, visitors will have the chance to see the CARTA bench, a backless design made from cardboard tubes, which is perfectly suited for use in public installations.

Instead of a conventional inflatable ball made of plastic and rubber materials, the proposal is a structure of fittings, made with synthetic resin based on recycled polypropylene and elastane, reusing resources that would otherwise be discarded.

It combines calcium carbonate extracted from the shells with recycled plastics.

In Japan, there is also technology that transforms food scraps into durable building materials, offering a way to reuse materials that would otherwise become waste:

Fabula, a start-up company from the University of Tokyo, is working on the social implementation of this technology, which involves dehydrating food, converting it into powder, and shaping it through thermal compression. The technique produces materials with varying strengths, textures, and aromas, which can be used for a wide range of purposes, giving waste new functions and life cycles.

Check it out and learn more about the work of the fable:

These trees lose their original value and are often sold at low prices or discarded.

The surfboards and skateboards on display at JHSP are coated with urushi, a Japanese lacquer derived from the tree of the same name, which makes them hydrophobic and waterproof. By combining the urushi and kumahagi wood (wood damaged by bears), the product brings reflections on the cycles that involve nature, animals and human activities.

The Kintsugi model on display showcases wood with such strong natural characteristics that it would be difficult to use in manufacturing processes that prioritize uniformity. By applying the “Kintsugi” technique—traditionally used to repair cracks or damage in pottery—they have transformed this wood into an attractive and uniquely characteristic musical instrument.

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