Japan Creative Association

Japan Creative is a non-profit organisation of designers and material researchers dedicated to rethinking the role of materials in contemporary design. Working from the belief that meaningful design begins with a deep understanding of material origins, the organisation explores how Japan’s natural environments, regional identities, and craft traditions shape the way materials are made and used.

This presentation focuses on washi, the traditional Japanese paper with a 1,400-year history. Once embedded in everyday life across writing, architecture, decoration, tableware, clothing, and toys, washi is presented here through its making process, historic uses, and new applications. The exhibition highlights the craft behind transforming a single fibre into paper, while showing how this ancient material continues to hold relevance today.