Tokyo, Sumida-ku. Known for being a lively town of craftmen since the 17th century, it has identfied it's self as a regional brand, and continues to keep up the craftswork to this day.

Tohoku Paper Industries was founded in 1932. The company is renowned for its high precision punching technology, and is well known for taking commissions from creators and designers, happy to take on the most challenging of requests.

◼︎ What is [Punching Technology]...

Punching is a forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a punch through a material such as paper, to create holes and other patterns by shearing. There is considerable design freedom with the punch and so many shapes can be punched.

Using this process, a variety of techniques such as punching, embossing, and cutting can be performed.

■ Machine Used: Punching Machine 

Touhoku Paper Industries' punching machine has been in operation since 1958, playing a vital role in the company.

It has a fine cutting edge unlike other machines used in mass production, allowing the craftsmen to work with individual sheets of paper as if they were conversing with the punching machine.

<Types of Punch>

1) Wooden Punch (Thompson Punch)

Grooves are carved into a wooden board, into which metal blades are inserted. The punch cost is relatively low, making this suitable for large batches.

2) Acid Etched Metal Punch

Grooves are etched into a metal surface using metal acid etching to produce a punch. Compared to the wooden punch, an acid etched punch can be made smaller in size and is capable of improved detail.

① Punching: The punching tool presses the punch into a workpiece to punch holes and patterns into (big punch)

<Examples of Applicable Materials (thickness)>

• Paper (less than 5 mm thick)
• PET, PP, PVC, Wood (less than 3 mm thick)
• Aluminiuum (less than 0.5 mm thick)
• Leather (less than 10 mm thick)
• Urethane (less than 20 mm thick)

② Embossing and Debossing: Creating raised and reccessed relief images by pressing the material.

An embossed pattern is raised against the background, while a debossed pattern is sunken into the surface of the material.

It is possible to emboss or deboss the material by approximately ±0.3 mm.

<Examples of Appicable Materials (thickness)>

• Paper (less than 5 mm thick)
• Wood (less than 3 mm thick)
• Aluminiuum (less than 0.5 mm thick)
• Leather (less than 10 mm thick)

③ Cutting: A process where the punch creates incisions into the paper

◼︎ Half Cut: A half cut can be cut into thicker materials to make it easier to bend and fold them.

<Examples of Applicable Materials>

• Paper
• PET, PP (less than 1 mm thick)

◼︎ Perforation: A process where holes spaced at regular intervals are created. This makes it easy to tear the material along a line of perforations, as used in tickets.

<Examples of Applicable Materials (thickness)> 

• Paper, PET, PP, Leather (less than 0.5 mm thick)
• Urethane (less than 20 mm thick)

◼︎ Zippers: A process where parallel holes spaced at regular intervals are created. This makes is possible to make pull tabs which make iit easy to open boxes, like the pull tabs found on paper confectionery boxes.

<Examples of Applicable Materials>

• Paper, Leather (less than 0.5 mm thick)

In recent years our company has been receiving more and more complex requests from our clients and customers. We fell that it is important that we focus on 'individuality' to meet the needs of this generation.

There are people who say "I want the end product to have this exact shape!", and it is our duty to empathise with the customer and put all of our effort into making what they dream of.

We take care in bringing out the hidden meaning behind design concepts, doing our best to work with designers to create a variety of novel goods together, using our sophisticated punching technology.

We are very much looking forward to receiving your product plans!

I am eagerly awaiting your product planning submissions (product concepts + designs) which make the most of our [Glass Forming Techniques]!

We are also happy to accept either product designs or concepts alone.

<Product Concepts> 

• For whom?
• To meet what needs?
• What kind of value does it hold?

<Product Design>

• Product size and features
  ＊ Approximate size: something that can be held in your hands
• Naming, packaging
• Give details on what differentiates your concept from existing products etc

Evaluation Criteria from Executive Board 

• The concept must clearly be a novel, fresh product
• It must make the most of the craftsmen's unique skills and techniques
• It ought to enrich the lives of the people who use it
• It should be appropriate for dispatching to the world
• It must follow the brand statement issued by Tokyu Hands
  ＊ Brand statement can be viewed here    https://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/company/

Tokyu Hands Product Categories

We would like to ask for product plans to fit into one of the following categories.

• Interior: furniture, lighting, storage etc
• Housewear: kitchen, dishes, bathroom and toiletries, cleaning supplies etc.
• Hobbycraft: handicrafts, crafts, models, gardening supplies etc
• Outdoors: camping equipment, sports equipment, weather equipment, vehicles etc
• Bags & Travel: bags, suitcases, travel goods etc
• Health & Beauty: health products, costmetic goods etc
• Variety: gaming, party goods, mobile goods etc
• Stationery: stationery, albums, office supplies, design equpment etc
• Tools & Materials: tools, disaster prevention goods etc

The product concept / design submission deadline is [November 4th 2019].

Evaluation results are expected to be announced between mid December and mid January.

After prototype production, we will sell the product at Tokyu Hands shops and online shopping website, targeting all customers including inbound visitors.

If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section. We are very much looking forward to your participation!