GIFU, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Tuesday March 21st, the new criteria for selecting high quality Mino-Washi and the logos of three new brands were introduced at the World premiere Mino Washi (Japanese Paper) Brand Exhibit. Mino washi is a Japanese paper with a history of 1300 years. Made in the city of Mino in Gifu Prefecture, its production technique has been designated as a Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2014.
The exhibit, organized by the Minowashi Brand Value Improvement Research Group, consisting of the Gifu Prefectural Government, Mino City, and the Minowashi Brand Cooperative Society, is being held in five cities around the world: Tokyo, Gifu, New York, Paris and Milan. On display are new and existing products using Mino-Washi made by artists and designers from various fields, including art, architecture and product design. These products suggest different techniques and new ideas for Mino-Washi. The Mino-Washi Brand Book, which tells the story of Mino-Washi, are distributed on site, and through both the products and the brand book, the exhibit brings new opportunities for Mino-Washi to be used as a new material.
The new brand logos
A set of new and strict criteria were established for Mino-Washi, and only those products that meet the criteria can be allowed to use the logos of the new brands. The three new brands are “hon-minoshi Japan”, “mino-tesukiwashi Japan” and “mino-kikaisukiwashi Japan”. The criteria needed to be reached in order to be certified into these brands are the production site, manufacturer, materials, quality, relation to the environment, and the base paper used. Although the criteria is strict, products with these logos will be marked as high quality Mino-Washi, and will surely be recognized as a brand that can be appreciated throughout the world.
The Mino-Washi Brand Book
Mino washi paper, having a history of 1300 years, was born in the bountiful nature of the Mino region and has been created using the clear waters of the Nagara and Itadori rivers of the region. It has a soft and delicate texture, and yet it is strong and durable due to the use of both vertical and horizontal rocking techniques during production. This production technique also leads to its smoothness, and these are all aspects that makes Mino washi paper truly appealing.
Not only can you learn about the three new brands of Mino-Washi through the brand book, but you can also learn about the production techniques and the meanings behind each logo, and even touch and feel the papers yourself.
You can download the brand book from the link. minowashi-japan.com
