To create leather products that last, durable materials and careful, robust craftsmanship are essential. However, there is one more thing Munekawa values highly when making leather products that last.
That is being "simple."
At Munekawa, we identify the necessary functions for a product and strive for a simple form, eliminating as much ornamentation, superfluous parts, and stitching as possible. A simple design is less likely to become tiresome and reduces points of failure, allowing for a consistent, enjoyable user experience for a long time.
In recent years, Munekawa's products have been increasingly ordered by overseas customers. This functional and simple design may hold the charm of universal design in leather accessories that transcends countries and genders.
Universal design that transcends countries and customs
Munekawa's idea of excellent design is one where the form suggests its purpose, and it can be handled naturally even when used for the first time. We aim for a form that can be easily incorporated into anyone's life, refraining from specifications that limit users or excessive ornamentation.
Munekawa's products have been used by a wide range of people across generations and genders, and recently we have seen an increase in orders from overseas and visits to our directly managed store by people traveling in Japan. We feel that opportunities for international customers to show interest are expanding.
Wallets vary greatly by region and culture due to differences in bill sizes, contents, and payment styles. Nevertheless, we recognize that being easy to see, easy to take out, and easy to carry are common aspects of usability for many people.
A simple structure is user-friendly for everyone.
Leather products with simple forms are easy to use even for those handling them for the first time. Just by looking at the shape, one can naturally imagine how to use it.
▶︎Click here for the L-shaped zipper wallet Cram product page
The L-shaped zipper wallet Cram is designed so that when the zipper is opened, bills, coins, and cards are all visible at once. Instead of dividing it with small partitions, the overall visibility eliminates the need to search for items, allowing bills, coins, and cards to be retrieved without changing the wallet's orientation.
Whether you primarily use cash or are mostly cashless, we want you to be able to carry the necessary cash and cards without hassle. Cram is a mini wallet born from this desire.
▶︎Click here for the Minimal Bi-fold Wallet Reduce product page
Reduce adopts the bi-fold shape that has been popular worldwide for a long time. This makes it a wallet where even first-time users won't get lost trying to figure out where to put what.
Inside, we further minimized parts like dividers, resulting in a configuration with only a bill compartment and card pockets. By reducing parts, it achieves a thinner profile, allowing it to be carried in a shirt's breast pocket.
Knowing where everything is. Being able to imagine how to use it just by looking at it.
The clarity born from a simple structure is a comfortable usability for everyone, regardless of age, country, or region. The fact that many simple products are chosen by overseas customers might be because this clarity transcends language.
Revisiting "taken for granted" shapes and functions
In our "subtraction manufacturing" approach, we revisit even the shapes and functions that have been considered "taken for granted" in wallets to determine if they are truly necessary.
The Slim Mini Wallet Wedge is a palm-sized wallet, roughly half the size of the Reduce mentioned earlier.
It features just one bill compartment and three card pockets. By limiting the capacity to "what you really use"—about 3 cards and 5-6 bills folded in half—it achieves a lightweight of approximately 22g and a slimness that slides easily into shirt or pant pockets. For those who primarily use smartphone payments, this is often sufficient.
▶︎Click here for the Envelope Long Wallet Encase product page
The Envelope Long Wallet Encase uses no metal fittings such as zippers or buttons. By wrapping the contents in leather like an envelope, there are no concerns about metal snags or malfunctions, and it opens and closes intuitively.
Consolidating all functions into one is not always convenient for everyone. Being able to choose a form that suits your lifestyle and payment methods from products that retain only the essential functions is another benefit of the "subtraction manufacturing" approach.
Subtraction means identifying "what is necessary."
The "subtraction manufacturing" that Munekawa values is not just about making things smaller or reducing functions. The important thing is to consider what is necessary for daily use and choose what to keep and what to omit.
While increasing parts and stitching points might seem to enhance strength, it also means there are more places where parts can detach or threads can break.
By reducing these connection points between parts, we can leverage the inherent strength and tension of the leather, minimizing the potential for failure.
Even for products that have been on the market for many years, as we review them, we find various areas for improvement, such as "this stitching might be less prone to thread breakage if it were omitted" or "changing the inner material might allow for a smaller size."
Valuing these insights, we are constantly making improvements to make our products more user-friendly and simpler.
Of course, there's no point if the strength is compromised by reducing too many parts or making it too small.
To maintain the necessary strength, we adjust the leather thickness in 0.1mm increments, finely varying the thickness during design based on where parts overlap, where stress is applied, and how it affects the perceived feel when held.
"Reducing parts" and "making it simple" actually require very high technical skill. However, by thoroughly pursuing this balance of strength and usability down to the smallest detail, Munekawa's vision of "good leather products" takes shape.
To create leather products that anyone can use and cherish for a long time.
Reducing parts. Creating a simple design. Not overloading with features that don't suit one's lifestyle. Munekawa's idea of subtraction is not to simplify the appearance, but to ensure that leather accessories can be used comfortably every day.
Simple leather products change their character with use and blend into one's life. We want to continue creating leather products that anyone, regardless of age, gender, country, or region, can cherish for a long time.
