／suw

Straws made of Keihoku wood coated with lacquer, so you can keep using them. I want to fix the problems that mountains and forests are facing. I don't want to throw things away. We sympathize with the thoughts of people involved in forestry and woodworking, and have begun activities aimed at realizing sustainable manufacturing.

When lacquer is applied, durability increases, and wooden straws can be washed and continued to be used. From plastic to wood. I hope that a lifestyle that fosters circulation will expand from small choices.

A product that conveys thoughts

Yoshida of Yoshida Woodworking makes solid wood furniture in Keihoku-cho, Kyoto. We met in 2019 when we rented a workshop as a venue for Tom Wegener's stay-type workshop “Wegener Surf Stay in Keihoku.” Mr. Yoshida, who felt the possibility of combining wood and lacquer from lacquer surfboards, said, “I want to make wooden straws that are not disposable.”
I want more people to know about the Keihoku region and the challenges faced by mountains and forestry. The challenge of creating a product that conveys our thoughts begins.

Use waste wood that becomes chips into straws

The foundation for straws is wood cut from the mountains of Keihoku. We use log scraps that have no use and are processed into wood chips. When I was guided to the mountain by Mr. Yotsuji of Yotsuji Lumber, which runs forestry in Keihoku, I felt a pain in my heart when I saw trees left falling down due to typhoons and heavy rain.
Splendid trees nurtured by nature. I wonder if there's more we can do before it shatters to pieces...
I witnessed the current situation, and my thoughts on making straws became even stronger.

The techniques of lacquerware that have been handed down in Kyoto

Days of trial and error continued in order to complete a straw that is durable and easy to use. First, the thinly shaved wood is wrapped to form a cylinder to form a straw. As it is, the drinking spout will peel off as you use it, so I decided to put Japanese paper on the base and harden it with lacquer.
Mr. Takagi, a paint artist of Kyoto lacquerware, applied techniques that have been handed down to make tea utensils in Kyoto and finished /suw.

Packaging that does not pollute the earth as much as possible

Many people are also cooperating with the production of packages. We used leftover paper from printing called paper output (Shide), which was provided by Mr. Yamashita of Shumisha, and devised so as not to use adhesives or glue. The design is by Moonlite Graphics Kakebada. Then, video artist Kamemura captured the entire project on video.

Lacquer appeals to people's sensitivities

Lacquer, which is tree sap, creates a strong coating film while containing moisture. It's hard yet soft, and has a moist feel. The gentle, smooth mouthfeel is unique to lacquer. We believe that lacquer, which Japanese people have cherished since the Jomon period, is a material that sharpens people's senses.

Go to Bearswood Project

What is being newly promoted with Mr. Yoshida and his teamBearswood Project. In the mountains of Keihoku, the increase in “bear peeling,” where bears peel off bark with their claws and fangs, has become a problem. Trees that have been stripped by dark circles grow so that new bark covers the wound, and a unique wood grain appears. Until now, it has been determined that there is no value as wood, but I wanted to make use of an original wood grain like no other as art.
I also hear that the reason bear peeling has increased is because there are fewer opportunities for people to enter the mountains than in the past. Instead of making bears bad guys, can we solve the problem by creating new value ourselves? We are searching for ways to make things where wood circulates.

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/Born by continuing to use SUW
Environmentally Friendly Thing

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As momentum for the SDGs has increased, we are increasingly seeing the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide) emitted from production processes for various products and services. On the other hand, it is difficult to determine whether these emissions are high or low, and how good they are for the environment from just one number. Therefore, the polypropylene straws and /SUW used conventionally were expressed as “decavo cores” when used every day for 2 years, respectively. For more information, see Here

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