[Tsuchiya Kaban] Launch of bags crafted from a novel material derived from mushroom mycelium

Founded in 1965 and a participant of the Edo Tokyo Kirari Project, TSUCHIYA KABAN manufactures and sells Randoseru backpacks as well as bags and leather goods for adults. It has launched its new leather product brand “objcts.io” in 2022 with the aim of creating bags that would appeal even to employees of the company.

In taking on this challenge to design new products, TSUCHIYA KABAN has become the first-ever Japanese brand to engage in joint development with the U.S. biotech company Bolt Threads to create a novel material model that harnesses Mylo™, a leather alternative developed by Bolt Threads from mushroom mycelium. TSUCHIYA KABAN’s choice of Mylo™ reflects the company’s desire to offer users new choices of materials in this era of increasingly diverse values.

Mylo™ is a leather alternative that has sparked the “mushroom leather” boom. The exceptionally fine fiber of mycelium makes the material soft to the touch and gives it a highly elegant texture. The mycelium is grown in a state-of-the-art vertical farming* facility that runs on 100% renewable energy. Cultivation of mycelium requires only water, air, and mulching materials (to cover the surface of the medium during the growth of mycelium), and its short growth cycle of less than two weeks suggests that a stable supply of the product can be expected.

In conjunction with this announcement, TSUCHIYA KABAN will be holding a special exhibition for a limited time only at its Shibuya store from June 9th (Thursday) to June 30th (Thursday), where six prototypes will be on display. All products are handcrafted by craftsmen at the company’s own workshop in Nishiarai, Tokyo, and they include the company’s signature Randoseru backpacks, as well as compact mini-wallets, wallet bags, and square bags that can be used for work. One wallet model among these six prototypes will be released by the end of 2022. Please drop by the exhibition to experience TSUCHIYA KABAN’s exquisite craftsmanship and innovation by enjoying the texture and feel of these products in person.

*Vertical farming is a method of cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers by making use of the floors of high buildings or sloping surfaces. This method allows for agricultural production even on a small land area.

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【Dedicated Website】

TSUCHIYA KABAN
https://tsuchiya-kaban.jp/pages/mylo

objcts.io
https://objcts.io/pages/mylo-unleather

【Special Exhibition】

Exhibition period: June 9th (Thursday) to June 30th (Thursday), 2022, 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Exhibition venue: TSUCHIYA KABAN Shibuya Store
Address: Shibuya Scramble Square 11F, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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■objcts.io　Instagram
@objcts.io

■objcts.io　Facebook
@objcts.io

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■Tsuchiya Kaban　official website
https://tsuchiya-kaban-global.com/

■Tsuchiya Kaban　Instagram
@tsuchiya_kaban

■Tsuchiya Kaban　Facebook
@tsuchiyakaban

■Tsuchiya Kaban　Twitter
@tsuchiya_kaban

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