Transforming the ordinary

I am smitten by this new Japanese Masking tape available at DWR. I don't know how I missed it, but I must have it ( Thanks Jessicle for turning me on to it). The above image is from Jordan Ferney's awesome site, decor8 (see below for link). This tape exemplifies how something so simple, can be reinvented just by adding the emotional shift of color ( not any color Mr. 3M company - the perfectly right palette of color). No one is running out to by cobalt blue masking tape to create art with. No matter what you believe, color itself, is a powerful emotional driver, but like anything emotional, getting it right requires a sensitive understanding of what your consumer desires, this is not something that can be forced. Taste and style evolves phenomenally, not by dictation.

Apparently, artists wrote a letter to the President of Kamoi, the Japanese manufacter of a particular brand of crepe masking tape, to inform him that they desired more choice, more color, etc, since many designers in Japan were using their brand of tape for artwork. The company decided to release this set of 'designer colors' and now, nothing is the same.


Kamoi is an old company with an interesting heritage, they made sticky flypaper in rolls, which alone could be another opportunity in our 'green' world -even if they never redesigned the vintage packaging. Boy, I would love to get some of these authentic designs of Japanese fly paper, surely it would do well in the states, if released in both the vintage packaging, as well as in a stylish refreshed model. Again, more possibilities.

From the Kamoi Kokoshi Co. website, where there is an art gallery of work that designers have made with Japanese Masking Tape.

It's worth snooping around their website, even if you cannot read Japanese. See Kamoi Kakoshi LTD for more ideas.

Made from Washi paper, a Japanese rice paper, which is flat and tears nicely, this tape was first 'discovered' by some savvy trend hunters and creatives last year, such as on Jordan Ferney's blog Oh Happy Day, and the design blog decor8. Now the tape is available at Design Within Reach, and one size is already sold out so hurry!








The manufacturer in Japan, has a website too, but apparently the links are not working, so I will not post it for now. Imagine the opportunities this simple color shift makes. I find it so inspiring, because now I want to walk through a Home Depot and look for other missed opportunities. There are so many places where one can still factor in design, to make the ordinary, extraordinary and desirable. Who would have thunk that a year ago,the idea the by simply changing the color of tape to a series of thoughtfully stylish palettes, could take something as banal as a roll of masking tape, and make it so desirable that it could become sold out on a global website.