The Beginning of SOLAHANPU (Designer's Story)
SOLAHANPU designer Sola has always loved examining the structure of objects, creating three-dimensional crafts, and drawing since childhood, possessing a strong curiosity about "creating" things. At the same time, she has a personality that acts on impulses immediately, and since her mid-teens, she also held a strong desire to see the world beyond Japan and broaden her horizons.
Around the age of 20, a chance opportunity arose to potentially work and live in France. Though I didn't speak any foreign languages, I had always wanted to experience life abroad, broaden my horizons, have many adventures and experiences, and challenge myself. Despite having no overseas experience at the time, I decided to seize this chance to go abroad. I then focused intensely on saving money for about four months and finally flew to France.Although I ultimately missed out on that job and chance to settle there, my desire to see the world remained undiminished. I subsequently began traveling solo through various countries in Europe, America, and Asia.
Initially, I'd return to Japan after short stays, work for a while to save money, then head overseas again. Eventually, I learned to find work in other countries too, establishing a rhythm of alternating between work and travel.My experiences grew: fishing amidst Alaska's vast wilderness while camping, days in Germany surviving on cheap bread to save money, teaching Japanese in Hong Kong, narrowly avoiding robbery in Italy and the USA... I picked up English, Chinese, and bits of other languages through hands-on practice, interacting with locals wherever I went.
For several years of travel, my financial situation was minimal. Even when funds were available, I stayed in youth hostels (then called dormitories in Europe and America, costing about $15-25 USD per night for a shared room). When funds were tight, sleeping outdoors was often unavoidable. Navigating this survival-like situation across countries gradually instilled in me the mindset and skill to minimize my belongings. I eventually learned to travel with just a small daypack and a wallet.
Why did I need so little luggage? Back then, with limited funds and no certainty about where or when I'd sleep, carrying a lot made movement difficult and managing belongings to prevent loss became a challenge. This naturally led to my minimalist approach. Regarding wallets, some advise dispersing valuables when traveling abroad, but I chose centralized management: keeping everything, including my passport, in one wallet secured with a wallet chain.I often slept with my wallet in my pocket, and in unsafe places, I'd tuck it inside my pants before sleeping. - The less luggage you have, the easier it is to move and manage - This aligns with the concept of decluttering.However, because my luggage was extremely minimal (too minimalist), I was suspected at immigration control several times, interrogated with questions like "Are you a spy?", and only released after confirming there was no issue. Regarding places to stay, I've also stayed at facilities operated by governments or various organizations for people unable to secure work or housing in each country (called shelters in the US).
About 10 years passed since then, and at that time, I was in China.One day, an event occurred that made me deeply contemplate the meaning of life within our limited existence. This strengthened my conviction that I should actively pursue what I love and what I want to achieve. At that time, I couldn't find a wallet that truly satisfied me. This, combined with design ideas I'd long envisioned for wallets and bags, became the prototype for my ideaSOLAHANPU: to create a brand making products designed by myself.
However, actual production proved far more difficult than anticipated. I started by creating product sketches and dimensional drawings, selecting materials and components, and searching for factories online or through connections to commission production. Yet, I faced constant hurdles: factories demanded minimum orders of thousands of units, or flatly refused, saying the products wouldn't sell.Even the few factories that reluctantly took my orders delivered products that deviated completely from the specified dimensions and shapes, arbitrarily changed materials or parts, and extended deadlines indefinitely. When I finally saw the finished prototypes, they bore no resemblance to my vision. I faced every conceivable problem. This cycle repeated itself, consuming more and more time. It took nearly two years from the start before I finally produced a product of quality that could be sold to customers.Even after that, various production issues remained unresolved, gradually shifting me toward making things myself.
My original interests in three-dimensional crafts and drawing proved useful. Combined with CAD software, other design tools, craft sewing, and pattern making—learned by observing factory processes and through self-study—I acquired the skills to handle prototyping and small-scale production.
In 2016, my thin wallet "Tenuis" became Japan's first product of its kind. It was featured by prominent media outlets like Lifehacker and Gizmodo, as well as other media, and quickly gained widespread recognition.Later that same year, we launched our successor model, "Tenuis2," through our first internet campaign. Support from over 300 backers became a stepping stone for expanding our activities in Japan.
At this time, production was still handled by only a few artisans. However, as production numbers steadily increased over the following years, we sought a partner factory. Unable to find one capable of manufacturing in Japan, we temporarily shifted production back overseas.However, at these overseas factories, while prototypes were made carefully, once mass production began, they often ignored our requirements, producing sloppy work, using non-specified materials, or leaving us completely in the dark about progress despite repeated inquiries. Even when delivery deadlines were completely missed, there was no response whatsoever. No matter how much trial and error we attempted, we reached our limits in terms of quality and delivery times, becoming utterly exhausted. Ultimately, we were forced to recognize once again that the quality andand manufacturing system could only be achieved in Japan. That said, we had actually been searching for Japanese production factories since aroundSOLAHANPU 2010. However, due to the complexity of our product manufacturing processes, we couldn't find a suitable Japanese partner for a long time, either technically or conditionally. In this regard, whether in Japan or overseas, capabilities are clearly divided between what is possible and what is not. Yet, after many twists and turns, starting in 2023, we have finally established satisfactory Japanese production centered around our own artisans and workshops.
We take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supportedSOLAHANPU us over the years. We intend to continue our design and creative activities, focusing on products that combine functionality and aesthetic appeal. When we receive feedback from our customers, we will humbly accept it, engage in self-reflectionSOLAHANPU, strive for further growth, and work diligently to be embraced by even more people.