Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the popular "K Chair" from the Karimoku 60 brand by soliciting ideas from the public for "Local K Chairs from Each of the 47 Prefectures," and will be releasing three of these ideas as products.
Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. was founded in 1940 and established Kariya Wood Industry Co., Ltd. in 1947. Kariya Wood Industry Co., Ltd. began producing wooden furniture in the 1960s, leading to the creation of Karimoku furniture today. The company's first furniture product, the #1000, was the prototype for the K Chair and was released in 1962, marking its 60th anniversary in 2022. The K Chair is a signature product that embodies the Karimoku 60 (Rokumaru) brand concept of long-life design (universal design value). Produced and sold since the 1960s, it has never been discontinued and continues to captivate many fans today.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary, we wanted to connect with a wide range of end users and create special edition K Chair products. Last year, we held a public competition to invite ideas incorporating the spirit and characteristics of each region in the "47 Prefectures Local K Chair Project." We received 115 ideas from general customers and 37 from retailers, for a total of 152 ideas. After judging, we selected three winning ideas to commercialize.
All of these ideas feature styling unlike any previous K Chair, ensuring a chair that embodies the local flavor.
■Product Details
1. Kobe Tartan: Hyogo Prefecture
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of Kobe Port, the upholstery is made in a tartan pattern that condenses the image colors of Kobe. The elegant tartan pattern combines the blue of the sea and the gray of asphalt, making this chair a striking accent piece in any room. The wood is made of beech wood with a natural finish, combined with the blue-based upholstery to create a refreshing impression.
Release date: Saturday, August 6, 2022
Price: Announced on the official Karimoku 60 website on Tuesday, August 2, 2022
2. Mimasaka Hinoki (Cypress) x Kurashiki Canvas: Okayama Prefecture
The K Chair is made with Mimasaka cypress from Okayama Prefecture. Its pure image and warm feel are what make it so appealing. Cypress is a soft tree, and has undergone repeated strength testing. Only the lower armrests are made of white ash, ensuring the chair's strength. The upholstery is made of Kurashiki canvas, which provides a firm yet supple feel.
Release date: Scheduled for September
Price TBD: Scheduled to be introduced on the official Karimoku 60 website in August
3. Yaeyama Minsa Weaving: Okinawa
Minsa weaving is a sash woven by a woman for her husband at the time of marriage. The patterns have meaning, and the five and four kasuri patterns represent the wish "Forever (five) and ever (four)." The chair's surface is a plain pale blue upholstery reminiscent of the ocean of Okinawa, but the back is decorated with a border of Minsa weaving, creating a chair that blends modern and traditional elements.
Release period: Autumn to end of the year
Price TBD: Planned to be introduced on the official Karimoku 60 website around autumn
■Judges' comments
Nagaoka Kenmei
Kenmei Nagaoka
Karimoku 60 Creative Director
D&DEPARTMENT Director
"Seeing so many ideas in front of me, I felt a happiness that is indescribable. In a world that is chaotic and diverse, we are all working towards one thing. We are all facing a single piece of furniture, the Karimoku 60K Chair, and each of us is brainstorming our own ideas. This competition inspired us to think of Karimoku, a company in Aichi Prefecture, to face the K Chair, a piece of furniture created nearly 60 years ago, and above all, to try to draw inspiration from the stories of "the place where you live" that you all share... We discussed the ideas gathered without first assuming whether they could be commercialized. As expected, the top ideas selected as a result had a multi-layered sense of possibility. We were able to vet the ideas deeply and thoroughly, rather than treating it as just a casual idea contest. We are grateful for everyone's participation, and are pleased that this opportunity has given many retailers and the company Karimoku the strength to move into the next era. Thank you very much."
■About Karimoku 60
Karimoku 60 is based on the concept of "long-life design," and proposes products based on modern values and timeless designs that are not influenced by trends. The rubber tree wood used primarily is planted and harvested on a 25-year cycle, and once the latex, the raw material for natural rubber, has been extracted, the wood is recycled and used to make furniture. In addition, the signature model, the K Chair, has been made so that parts can be easily replaced, allowing it to be delivered as furniture that can be used safely and continuously for a long time.
Karimoku 60 website:
https://www.karimoku60.com/
K chair 60th Anniversary page:
https://www.karimoku60.com/60th/
■About Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd.
In 1940, Shohei Kato founded a woodworking shop in Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture. Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. is a furniture manufacturer that ran a wood product processing business and, using the skills it developed there, began selling its own wooden furniture in the 1960s. Our group mission is "Creating a happy life with wood," and under the philosophy of "quality first," we are committed to creating furniture using a "high-tech & high-touch" approach that combines advanced machine processing with the skills of artisans. Furthermore, from the perspectives of safety, security, and environmental friendliness, our products meet the domestic furniture certification standards established by the Japan Furniture Industry Promotion Association.
Web:
https://www.karimoku.co.jp/
Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. was founded in 1940 and established Kariya Wood Industry Co., Ltd. in 1947. Kariya Wood Industry Co., Ltd. began producing wooden furniture in the 1960s, leading to the creation of Karimoku furniture today. The company's first furniture product, the #1000, was the prototype for the K Chair and was released in 1962, marking its 60th anniversary in 2022. The K Chair is a signature product that embodies the Karimoku 60 (Rokumaru) brand concept of long-life design (universal design value). Produced and sold since the 1960s, it has never been discontinued and continues to captivate many fans today.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary, we wanted to connect with a wide range of end users and create special edition K Chair products. Last year, we held a public competition to invite ideas incorporating the spirit and characteristics of each region in the "47 Prefectures Local K Chair Project." We received 115 ideas from general customers and 37 from retailers, for a total of 152 ideas. After judging, we selected three winning ideas to commercialize.
All of these ideas feature styling unlike any previous K Chair, ensuring a chair that embodies the local flavor.
■Product Details
1. Kobe Tartan: Hyogo Prefecture
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the opening of Kobe Port, the upholstery is made in a tartan pattern that condenses the image colors of Kobe. The elegant tartan pattern combines the blue of the sea and the gray of asphalt, making this chair a striking accent piece in any room. The wood is made of beech wood with a natural finish, combined with the blue-based upholstery to create a refreshing impression.
Release date: Saturday, August 6, 2022
Price: Announced on the official Karimoku 60 website on Tuesday, August 2, 2022
2. Mimasaka Hinoki (Cypress) x Kurashiki Canvas: Okayama Prefecture
The K Chair is made with Mimasaka cypress from Okayama Prefecture. Its pure image and warm feel are what make it so appealing. Cypress is a soft tree, and has undergone repeated strength testing. Only the lower armrests are made of white ash, ensuring the chair's strength. The upholstery is made of Kurashiki canvas, which provides a firm yet supple feel.
Release date: Scheduled for September
Price TBD: Scheduled to be introduced on the official Karimoku 60 website in August
3. Yaeyama Minsa Weaving: Okinawa
Minsa weaving is a sash woven by a woman for her husband at the time of marriage. The patterns have meaning, and the five and four kasuri patterns represent the wish "Forever (five) and ever (four)." The chair's surface is a plain pale blue upholstery reminiscent of the ocean of Okinawa, but the back is decorated with a border of Minsa weaving, creating a chair that blends modern and traditional elements.
Release period: Autumn to end of the year
Price TBD: Planned to be introduced on the official Karimoku 60 website around autumn
■Judges' comments
Nagaoka Kenmei
Kenmei Nagaoka
Karimoku 60 Creative Director
D&DEPARTMENT Director
"Seeing so many ideas in front of me, I felt a happiness that is indescribable. In a world that is chaotic and diverse, we are all working towards one thing. We are all facing a single piece of furniture, the Karimoku 60K Chair, and each of us is brainstorming our own ideas. This competition inspired us to think of Karimoku, a company in Aichi Prefecture, to face the K Chair, a piece of furniture created nearly 60 years ago, and above all, to try to draw inspiration from the stories of "the place where you live" that you all share... We discussed the ideas gathered without first assuming whether they could be commercialized. As expected, the top ideas selected as a result had a multi-layered sense of possibility. We were able to vet the ideas deeply and thoroughly, rather than treating it as just a casual idea contest. We are grateful for everyone's participation, and are pleased that this opportunity has given many retailers and the company Karimoku the strength to move into the next era. Thank you very much."
■About Karimoku 60
Karimoku 60 is based on the concept of "long-life design," and proposes products based on modern values and timeless designs that are not influenced by trends. The rubber tree wood used primarily is planted and harvested on a 25-year cycle, and once the latex, the raw material for natural rubber, has been extracted, the wood is recycled and used to make furniture. In addition, the signature model, the K Chair, has been made so that parts can be easily replaced, allowing it to be delivered as furniture that can be used safely and continuously for a long time.
Karimoku 60 website:
https://www.karimoku60.com/
K chair 60th Anniversary page:
https://www.karimoku60.com/60th/
■About Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd.
In 1940, Shohei Kato founded a woodworking shop in Kariya City, Aichi Prefecture. Karimoku Furniture Co., Ltd. is a furniture manufacturer that ran a wood product processing business and, using the skills it developed there, began selling its own wooden furniture in the 1960s. Our group mission is "Creating a happy life with wood," and under the philosophy of "quality first," we are committed to creating furniture using a "high-tech & high-touch" approach that combines advanced machine processing with the skills of artisans. Furthermore, from the perspectives of safety, security, and environmental friendliness, our products meet the domestic furniture certification standards established by the Japan Furniture Industry Promotion Association.
Web:
https://www.karimoku.co.jp/
