“Monozukuri” Collaboration Project by Small Factories and RICOH Design

Today, we introduce to you a new challenge by RICOH Design.
RICOH Design accepts independent design projects from our designers. Those selected will become in-house research projects.
The first of such projects is GOOD ENOUGH., a “monozukuri” (manufacturing) collaboration project by RICOH Design and eight “machi-koba” (small factory) in the Ota Ward of Tokyo. A GOOD ENOUGH. exhibition was held in 2019. GOOD ENOUGH. (Japanese site)
We are happy to announce that the spring clip pin, a product that was born from this project, is now available from goodware. This is the personal brand of Mr. Toshihiko Kawa, who planned and promoted the GOOD ENOUGH. project.
goodware. EC Website (Japanese site)

GOOD ENOUGH. started in 2017 as a project to learn processing technologies that were not used in RICOH products, with the aim of bringing new ideas to design.
The project was supported by eight “machi-koba” in Tokyo’s Ota Ward, where RICOH first started as a company. They welcomed our designers to visit their factories and shared their processing technologies with us. In September 2019, the GOOD ENOUGH. - SMALL FACTORIES AND RICOH DESIGN - exhibition was held at the GOOD DESIGN Marunouchi gallery in Tokyo.
The exhibition showcased design ideas from RICOH Design and processing technologies from the "small factories". It received more than 2,000 visitors over the 12 days for which the exhibition was held.

24 exhibits were designed by nine designers based on the GOOD ENOUGH. concept of being “just right” for both the person who makes the product and the person who uses it. By turning the limitations of “monozukuri” into its uniqueness, we pursued natural beauty that is created by simplicity in design.
Processing technologies used include lathes, machining centers, sheet metal, springs, wire cuts, plating, and dip molding.

Partner Factories
Yazawa-Seisakusho; INB; Hitachi-Spring; Fujisan; Takehara-Seisakusho;Sanwaseiki-Seisakusho; P3-Plating; Epsol

RICOH Design
Planning and Promotion: Toshihiko Kawa
Participating Designers: Kanako Ishigure; Takashi Ishida; Tatsuo Okuda; Ryuichi Shirane; Sakiko Tomizawa; Ryotaro Fujiyama; Ryo Furutani; Takafumi Hoshimura

After the GOOD ENOUGH. exhibition, we considered commercializing the designs. In April 2021, the goodware. brand was launched.
* goodware. is a personal effort of Mr. Toshihiko Kawa, who planned and promoted the GOOD ENOUGH. project, and is not part of Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Products (Japanese site)

The first product from goodware. is the spring clip pin, that was particularly popular amongst those who visited the exhibition.
Made from a single piece of metal wire, the spring clip pin is a push pin (drawing pin) combining a pin and a spring. The pin part is pushed into a wall, while the spring part grips the item that you want to display. As such, you do not end up with holes in your precious posters or cards.
The spring clip pin is manufactured by Hitachi Spring which specializes in sheet metal and spring machining.

We look forward to you purchasing this product.
And we also look forward to bringing you more goodware. products soon.

External Links
goodware.EC Website (Japanese site)
Instagram
Tokyo International Gift Show2021 (Video Recording of Live Appearance by LIFExDESIGN)
GOOD ENOUGH. 2019 (Japanese site)