Eiji Sumi
A new standard of design that embraces diverse food cultures
A designer based in Gifu. Representative of DesignWater. Involved in a wide range of design, from interior, product, and graphic to urban development, he won the Good Design Award in 2009 and 2013. In 2020, he won the Red Dot Award 2020 at STIIK.
STIIK
Design concept: "Values and Philosophy"
Chopsticks, familiar to us from childhood, have evolved into something beloved by people all over the world. Another development has been our food. The Japanese are a nation with a strong culture of enjoying gourmet food from around the world. It's not uncommon for people to have grilled fish, rice, and miso soup for breakfast, curry rice and salad for lunch, and pasta at an Italian restaurant for dinner. You could even say that our eating habits involve the free use of forks, knives, spoons, and chopsticks. STIIK are "chopsticks like cutlery" designed to suit our free-spirited eating habits.
Another feature of STIIK chopsticks is that they are "longer" than standard chopsticks. "Hitoatahan" refers to 1.5 times the length of a pair of spread thumbs and index fingers, and was the ideal chopstick size established during the Edo period. Over 300 years have passed since then, and while our average height has increased and our desks and chairs have become taller, the standard size of chopsticks we use every day remains stuck at 22-24cm, a size that dates back to the Edo period. Therefore, we have determined that 26cm, "the ideal chopstick size for modern people," could become the standard for chopsticks of the future. This size is determined by both aesthetic appeal when eating and durability for practical use.
STIIK has won two awards for both product and packaging: the Red Dot Award 2020: Product Design, one of the world's three major design awards, and the Pentawards 2019 Gold.
STIIK
Manufacturing Process and Materials
Bamboo holds the Guinness World Record for being the fastest-growing plant in the world. It is said that once a tree is cut down, it takes decades for it to grow again, but bamboo matures in just three years after germination. Furthermore, bamboo absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide, making it a carbon-neutral material (meaning that greenhouse gas emissions are virtually zero). For this reason, bamboo is attracting attention as a sustainable material that allows for an abundant supply of resources.
STIIK is made from natural Moso bamboo, and from splitting the bamboo to the final coating, each and every step is carefully completed by skilled Japanese craftsmen with their own eyes and hands.
STIIK
Reason for deciding to work with
STIIK
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While running our own online store, KOZLIFE, we realized that there were no chopsticks with a design that would feel familiar to Japanese people while also pairing seamlessly with tableware and interior design from Scandinavian brands.
In particular, when photographing tableware and food, we found that although chopsticks are an essential part of the Japanese dining scene, they often stood out awkwardly against Scandinavian-designed pieces. That sense of incongruity stayed with us.
So we decided to create our own ideal chopsticks. This is how STIIK was born. Simple and beautiful chopsticks that blend naturally with Scandinavian tableware, bringing new harmony to the everyday dining table.
In particular, when photographing tableware and food, we found that although chopsticks are an essential part of the Japanese dining scene, they often stood out awkwardly against Scandinavian-designed pieces. That sense of incongruity stayed with us.
So we decided to create our own ideal chopsticks. This is how STIIK was born. Simple and beautiful chopsticks that blend naturally with Scandinavian tableware, bringing new harmony to the everyday dining table.
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STIIK
