A crayon that packs the scent, shape
and feel of the forest, all in one.
Crowdfunding is live
MORIGOTO CRAYON IS COMING SOON ASIBA is currently running a crowdfunding campaign for “MORIGOTO CRAYON”! The campaign will be open from September 17 to November 22. Projects with the most favorites rank higher in search, so please add us to your favorites! For more details, visit the URL in our bio! Thank you so much for your support! 🍀 #森ごとクレヨン #MORIGOTOCRAYON #森 #forest
View on InstagramWhat is MORIGOTO CRAYON?
MORIGOTO CRAYON is a crayon that lets you take the whole feeling of being in the forest back home with you, through the colors, scents and shapes found there. Together with Somanobase, who work on forest conservation, and 6699 (Uzumaki), a young design unit, we have developed it with one question in mind: how can we bring the materials and experiences of the forest into everyday life? MORIGOTO CRAYON has three features. 1. The real scent of wood After you finish drawing, the scent of wood lingers on your fingertips, and you can feel a hint of the forest at unexpected moments. We use essential oil extracted from wood offcuts, branches and leaves that are created during logging and forest management and are still not put to full use. 2. A shape like a branch The shape of MORIGOTO CRAYON does not imitate any particular branch. We observed many branches and gathered, one by one, the “branch-ness” they share: the position of the knots, the bumps, and a thickness that is easy to hold. All of it is designed into a shape that fits your hand. 3. Colors found in the forest “Forest Colors”, chosen from the colors we met during fieldwork in the forest. And “Basic Colors”, a set of easy-to-use staples. We bring you both the colors of the forest and the everyday ones. Pick it up, draw, and feel the scent.
View on InstagramWhat we want to tell you
Together with Somanobase, who work on forest conservation, and 6699 (Uzumaki), a young design unit, we have developed this with one question in mind: how can we bring the materials and experiences of the forest into everyday life? “We love things that pick up the whole forest, all at once. The forest feels so good. The damp yet cool air. The savory yet sharp scent. The busy yet harmonious colors. We wanted to share the colors, scents and shapes we saw in this forest, even with people who have never been there. A crayon was the one thing that could hold all of the forest’s colors, scents and shapes. With every stroke, the scent of wood spreads, and it feels as if the forest is right in front of you. ‘We want to create a chance for people to feel the connection to a small forest spreading out from their hands, and someday set foot in a real forest.’ That is the thought with which we started this project.” (Ryota Sairaiji, Creative Director, Somanobase)
View on InstagramThe challenges facing the forest
Forests in Japan are facing challenges. About two thirds of Japan’s land is forest, and about 40% of that is planted forest of cedar and cypress. Half of it has now reached the time to be used. Yet there is still a surplus, it is rarely treated as something valuable, and it is cleared away as “zatsuboku” (miscellaneous wood). We want people to learn about the forest as it is today and to notice its charm. We make crayons in the hope of creating that kind of cycle for the forest.
View on InstagramMORIGOTO CRAYON Workshops
We want more people to know about the challenges the forest is facing today. That is why we hold workshops for kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary schools and more, combining two parts: “making” and “playing”. In the first half, “making”, you touch materials born from the forest and create your very own MORIGOTO CRAYON, choosing its color and scent. 1. Touch the materials, learn about the forest Using quizzes and slides, we observe the raw materials of the crayon and the branches and leaves that give it its scent. Rather than difficult explanations, it is a time to look, touch and guess, so that children naturally learn about trees and forests. 2. Actually making a crayon First you watch a crayon being made right in front of you, then you move on to making one yourself. This part is designed for parents and children to do together. We hope that touching the same materials and working together will make the forest feel closer. 3. Play with the crayon you made In the second half, you play with the crayon you made. Not just drawing: you can look for the colors and shapes you find in the forest and trace them, or combine all kinds of materials. We hope you will notice how many colors and expressions the forest has. 4. Not just once, but beyond We do not want it to end as a one-time experience. Through each workshop, we hope to create opportunities for interest in the forest to connect to daily life and to children’s learning. May a single crayon become a gateway to the forest. To the small forest that spreads out from your hands. We look forward to your participation.
View on InstagramPop-up at TiB SHOP
To mark its launch, MORIGOTO CRAYON is opening a shop at TiB SHOP! From early October for about two months, you can pick up the crayons in person. TiB SHOP Address: Tokyo Innovation Base 1F, 3-8-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Hours: Weekdays 11:00-19:00, Weekends & holidays 11:00-17:00 Please come and touch and smell it for yourself. We look forward to seeing you!
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