All posts tagged: Nendo

My Football Kit by Nendo

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Inflatable soccer balls are hard to maintain in impoverished communities because of the unavailability of air pumps or the deterioration and damage of the tube inside the ball. In response, Japanese design firm Nendo has designed a non-inflatable soccer ball that gives the same kicking sensation as a standard ball. Inspired by the structure of the traditional Japanese woven bamboo ball, the My Football Kit is assembled with three types of components and includes a total of 54 parts. The instructions for assembly are designed like a picture book in easily understood illustrations. Instead of relying on internal air pressure, the ball uses the resilience of its surface material, soft, recycled polypropylene and elastomeric synthetic resin components, to bounce. The material won’t hurt bare feet and is unlikely to develop a sharp fractured surface that might cause injury, even if broken. If a component comes off during play, the interlocking structure ensures the ball will not disassemble. Components may be shipped in disassembled states in compact packages, potentially cutting shipping costs. The ball comes in multiple colors, …

My-Lid Reusable Cup Lid by Nendo

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Many restaurants, cafes, and other food providers have done away with disposable plastic straws and plastic cups to help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in our waterways and landfills. With that in mind, the Japanese design firm Nendo designed the My-Lid reusable coffee cup lid for the convenience store chain Lawson.  The My-Lid coffee cup lid not only reduces waste for take-out drinks, but is designed to create a more enjoyable drinking experience. The main feature is the partially domed space on the opposite side of the lip. The drink’s aroma rises through ventilation holes and is briefly captured beneath the shell, to be enjoyed while drinking. Made of silicone rubber, a heat-resistant, and hygienic reusable material, the lid is double grooved on the inner side to grip and seal the rims of two sizes of cups sold by Lawson. A special washable lid carrying case made of Tyvek also serves as a sleeve for hot drinks. The project aims to reduce the disposal of approximately one billion plastic coffee lids, the …

Chocolamixture by Nendo

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Japanese design firm Nendo has announced their latest venture into chocolate. Following their recent experiments with chocolate made in different textures and in the form of a paint set, Nendo’s chocolamixture consists of little flask-shaped chocolates that come with five different flavors in miniature-sized test tubes: freeze-dried mango, freeze-dried raspberry, a popping candy that bursts in your mouth, three colored heart-shaped sugar candies, and chocolate puffs. Even the lids of the chocolate flask are made of white chocolate that has been smoked to develop a cork color. As with many of Nendo’s edible delights, these chocolates are unfortunately only available for purchase in Japan.   Photos by Akihiro Yoshida.

Triangle Roomshoes by Nendo

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Leave it to Nendo to come up with an entirely new look for the slipper. While this new cone-shaped footwear concept looks triangular from the side, a natural crease forms in its in-step portion. Only available in Japan, the gnomish shoes can stand on their own without taking too much space, and several can be stacked up in the foyer with no need for slipper racks — ideal for typically small Japanese residential spaces. Made of polyester and synthetic leather, the shoes come in two sizes and four colors. Photos by Akihiro Yoshida.  

Banana! Nendo Designs Packaging Design for Minion’s Favorite Snack

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Nendo was recently asked to design the packaging for Shiawase bananas, high-quality bananas grown on a plantation in a national park located in the north-central region of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Grown using only organic fertilizers and adhering to the strict restriction on the use of pesticides, the produce became the first bananas to be awarded with 2 Stars at the International Taste and Quality Institute (iTQi) Superior Taste Awards in Belgium. To keep things as simple as a banana’s natural packaging, the Japanese design firm decided to steer clear of boxes or packing material, and instead applied stickers to the surface of the banana peel. The double layered sticker has a top layer that replicates the textural feel and colors of the banana peel, even down to the lifelike bruises and discoloration. When this top layer is peeled off, the second sticker reveals a description of the banana’s origins upon a background the color of banana flesh. Nendo also designed a paper carrier bag designed so that when the string handle is removed you can easily pick out the …

Stay-Brella by Nendo

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This clever “stay-brella”— created by the Japanese design firm Nendo exclusively for Seibu department stores in Japan — has a forked handle design that gives it a foot to stand on when not in use. This little feature also allows the umbrella to easily hang from tables and stay propped up on a wall when drying. The umbrella comes in eight different colors and has a strap to hang from the arm. A special surface coating reduces UV rays by 90%, a great feature in a country where folks use umbrellas for sun protection as much, if not more often, than rain protection. All photos by Akihiro Yoshida.