MOTHERHOUSE

Fair Trade brand that repairs bags and remakes old ones into new products

Motherhouse is a Japanese bag label dedicated to promoting the potential of developing countries. With a focus on ethical manufacturing in Bangladesh and Nepal, the company creates unique, heartwarming products from materials exclusive to each region, such as jute, leather, silk, and cashmere.

However, Motherhouse believes that their responsibility as creators goes beyond just selling and disposing of their products. That’s why they launched two new projects, “SOCIAL VINTAGE” and “RINNE,” in July 2020. The goal of these projects is to collect old products and give them a new life as valuable items.

“SOCIAL VINTAGE” offers three services after a customer has purchased a bag: care to maintain its condition, repair for frays and tears, and recovery, where old bags are collected and transformed into new products under the “RINNE” series. If a customer participates in the collection process, they will receive 1,500 yen worth of points for future purchases and an additional 1,000 yen worth of points can be donated to public health initiatives in developing countries.

“RINNE” is a new product made from leather bags collected through “SOCIAL VINTAGE.” The name, meaning reincarnation and circulation, represents the goal of the project. Yamaguchi, the representative and chief designer of Motherhouse, aimed to create a design that would give customers a sense of new life at an affordable price, using salvaged materials.

The inspiration for this project came from a customer who had many Motherhouse products but felt like they needed something new. Instead of proposing new products, Yamaguchi wanted to breathe new life into existing materials and create a brand that customers could connect with, even during difficult times like the pandemic. In collecting old products, Motherhouse discovered letters from customers with their emotions, providing motivation for the design process.

Motherhouse values communication and connection with its customers, which is what makes this project possible. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Motherhouse continues to think deeply about what they can do to create a more sustainable and circular system. “SOCIAL VINTAGE” and “RINNE” are a result of this dedication to communication and connection with customers.

Originally published on IDEAS FOR GOOD.
Shared content from Zenbird Media.

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(updated 10 Feb 2023)