Burlap sacks from the port enter the closet

~ Making bags from burlap sacks ~
I think there are many things made using this material,
regardless of the scale.
And many of them

use these expressions.
Even if I don't say it myself,
society often categorizes them that way.
If the creator thinks so, being categorized that way by those around them is actually what they are looking for.

But there is someone here who doesn't think that way and isn't looking for that.
It's me.
It's HOLOHOLO BIYORI.

If HOLOHOLO BIYORI were to categorize burlap sacks, it would be "fashion".
As an expression of turning them into bags,
the word "refining" the burlap sacks
feels more appropriate than the word upcycling.

But this is hard to convey.
The preconceived notions about burlap sacks that have permeated the world are so strong.

What's even more troublesome is that
the idea that they are categorized as seasonal items has also permeated.

I have doubts about this as well.

First, about the original world of burlap sacks.
Coffee bean burlap sacks are
originally
used to transport harvested coffee beans

In other words,industrial materialsare one of them.

Summer, winter, rainy season, dry season.
They are used across all environments,
and from the perspective of the material,
there is no concept of "seasonal material" to begin with.

And

There are people who only drink hot coffee even in summer,
and people who like iced coffee even in winter.
(Come to think of it, a while ago, Yuriko Ishida also said on Instagram,
"I drink iced coffee even in winter.")

Then why is it called "summery"?
Actually, it's a very simple structure,
it's not about the meaning or use of the material,
but about fashion symbols.

Linen = summer clothes

I think the accumulation of this preconceived notion
has a big influence.

To put it clearly,
this is a matter of retail convenience.
Speaking of similar things,
trendy colors
and trendy silhouettes
are industry-led,
which I think is common knowledge.

In contrast, HOLOHOLO BIYORI's thinking is
Industrial material → Fashion
・Seasons
・Trends
Thinking based on not being bound by either.

And what I find interesting is that
beyond the point where you purchase the bags we make,

is waiting.

What's important here is,
for example,
I think many people would feel "I don't like it" if they had a daily life where unopened cardboard boxes were left in the closet.
Therefore, even if burlap sacks are classified as eco-minded or recycled materials,
just saying "I made it into a bag shape"
does not intersect with the HOLOHOLO BIYORI mindset at all.
The major premise is to finish the bag using burlap sacks, which were industrial materials, into something that you can be happy and proud to have in your closet.

When I first started handling burlap sacks,
I saw them as more natural existences,
and I had a strong feeling that
even with some fluctuations,
"It's a burlap sack, so that's fine."
No matter how much you put on makeup
and dress up beautifully,
there is a special joy when your bare face is complimented.
I think it's close to that feeling, and to convey burlap sacks,
I thought I had to spread "understanding of fluctuations" instead.
But at one point,
I started to think, shouldn't I first solidify the understanding of burlap sacks themselves?

Maybe that was a doubt within myself,
or maybe I could see the next stage as a creator.
What I definitely realized was
that what I want to express through my craftsmanship and the image of burlap sacks that has permeated society
are too different.
It was also a moment when I felt surprise and sadness.

Through repeated trial and error,
my focus shifted toward
beautifully expressing
the burlap sack without changing its original form.
This is what I now call
the process of
"refining."
Reaching this process involved many thoughts and realizations,
and ultimately,
I came to believe that "refining" means

So that the burlap sack can be accepted just as it is.
I do not cover up the material.
To achieve that, the first and most important prerequisite is

A future where burlap sacks are understood—
we can see it.

What is the opposite of refining?
If "refining" is positive,
is the antonym a negative word?
I believe

While these exist at opposite ends of the spectrum,

they both share the same axis.

Both terms
accept the material that is the burlap sack.
This is also what makes HOLOHOLO BIYORI unique.

It is not market-in, but philosophy-based.
In most of the world,
the sales floor expresses the season.
What HOLOHOLO BIYORI aims for
is to create styling from the material itself.
That place is the pop-up.

With that thought in mind.