If we try to personify stationery brands, the Tokyo-based brand yuruliku must be that naughty but kind-hearted classmate sitting close to you in primary school. The kid would accidentally show you a newly caught bug or a randomly drawn cartoon out of nowhere before giving you a grimace. yuruliku is precisely this playful brand that will remind you of your inner-child and bring a moment of rejoicing.
yuruliku最擅長「偽裝術」了，不過不是為了騙誰，只是想要逗你開心。 yuruliku’s specialty in “playful counterfeits”, intended to deceive no one, nothing more than trying to bring a smile.
Founded in 2005, the brand name yuruliku comes from two Japanese words Yururi and Yukkuri, which means relax and take it slow respectively. Isn’t the brand name clear enough to describe the brand DNA? On the official website, the brand promises to their customers their dedication to digging humorous moments in our everyday life. They have surely fulfilled this promise through the rich array of colors used in the line of products that comes with various designs. Among them are the pencil pouches SanKaku and SanSuke, which are disguised as a square set and a ruler. The tote bag with the look of a notepad also stands out with its bold twist, fully demonstrating the brand’s wit in drawing inspirations from the charm of everyday life.
照著童年回憶，以及在旅途中的瑣碎想法，帶來這個用羊毛氈偽裝成報紙，再偽裝成其他生活用具的報紙系列。 Combining childhood memory and the trivial thoughts on a trip, this time the designer makes a series of homeware made of felt blanket that wears the guise of a newspaper page.
If we have to name the designs that really have pushed the concept of playful disguises to the extreme, then two products would definitely stand out from the rest. The series Ori-Kabuto introduced in 2007 also adopted the felt blanket in the newspaper disguise and turned it into origami warrior helmets, a reminder of the designer’s childhood memory of using actual newspapers in kids’ play. The concept of the other product, NEWSlippers, stems from the experience of feeling relieved when the designers found their local newspaper in a foreign country. So they turned the newspaper into slippers so people can wear something familiar around even in a foreign land.
不限橫、直式書寫的空白頁面，即使在上頭畫畫也不突兀。 A small notepad for the free minds to write something quickly down in any directions, or even sketch a random drawing.
Certainly, childlike fun is not the only thing that makes yuruliku distinctive. The premium quality of materials and delicate craftsmanship are also the brand’s characteristics. This notepad series is one of their most popular items. The pocket-size makes it an ideal item to carry around to write as a memo anywhere and anytime. The dimension also fits the standard envelopes, making it perfect to double up as a letter paper.
The NOTEPAD Frame series is produced by letterpress printing. The substantial quality of paper provides a perfect surface to let even fountain pen to write smoothly without any ink feathering. Its free format to allow both vertical and horizontal writing always makes it a dear item by Japanese stationery fans. Surprisingly, the notepad that was originally only targeting the Japanese market has also created hype in Europe and the US.
品牌善於捕捉情緒，像這套FU-TO case，淡淡的色系、輕皺的帆布料，令人看著感覺安靜。 The brand is also adept at capturing the subtle sentimental value materials can carry. This FU-TO document case is made of strong canvas cloth with a natural rumple look, which makes it nerves-calming to look at.
Personally, I am most fond of the FU-TO case series that comes in multiple sizes like A4, B5, and mini and different colors, such as rice, brown, black, and brick red. These documents holders all have mellow colors. When coupled with the subtle wrinkles on the rustic canvas, it exudes charming tranquility that is extraordinarily comforting, and can restore peace of mind even on the most stressful days.
