Subway Bag

Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that a life force resides in all creations.

Valuing and caring for the things we use, a "Zero Waste Life."

Pointing the way to better living for a new era.

A major urban center in western Japan, the city of Osaka.

In this small bag design studio, they're producing some rather unique items.

The man at the center of it all is bag maker Shinoda Eiji.

This bag does look well made, but that's only part of the story.

Here's one of the main components.

In Japan, it's quite a familiar object.

This ring is from a subway car hand strap.

By client request, we're making
bags from this salvaged material.

Using components from decommissioned subway cars for bags.

Even for a veteran like Shinoda, this is a first.

Who knows, maybe I've held
this exact ring before on the subway?

Funny, isn't it?

Specifically, the materials come from Osaka subway lines.

After a service life of around 40 years, subway cars were most often scrapped.

Prompting the company that runs Osaka's subways to develop a new initiative.

We've created an upcycling project.

We want these old trains to continue
serving the customers who loved them for a long time to come.

The aim is to repurpose the vast number of components that make up the cars into items for everyday use.

They turned to artisans and creators in search of ideas, inviting them to come and inspect the old cars for themselves.

Designer Takayama Katsumi was one of the participants.

I was born in Osaka, so I rode
on the subway, for school in fact.

I was sure I could do something,
and environmental awareness is vital.

He made up his mind to use materials from the old subway cars to produce bags.

He was first drawn to the material surrounding the gangways between cars.

This stuff has stood up for 40 years,
so it's sure to make sturdy bag material.

There are 9 of these big things
for every 10-car train.

That's ideal for large-scale production.

Takayama's aim was to secure a large quantity of material, allowing them to produce bags for many people.

Hand straps were another key element.

Takayama saw it from a small child's point of view.

Adults just hold them normally.

Kids can't reach that high,
but they wish they could.

I think everyone knows that feeling.

He tried to incorporate this idea into the bags' design.

What he came up with was a bag that kids can hold on to.

When worn on the shoulder,
the strap hangs near the hip.

Just right for a 3- to 5-year-old.

To make his vision a reality, Takayama searched for a skilled artisan.

The one who made the cut was bag maker Shinoda Eiji.

When I asked about the strap ring
and he said it was for kids to hold, I thought it was a great idea.

We makers would never
come up with something like that.

In the business for 28 years, beyond just custom orders, he had already begun upcycling disused items into bags for his customers.

Say, they wanted to reuse a kimono
from their mother they don't wear, or a scarf they got as a souvenir
that was too flashy to wear,

they'd ask me to make them into bags.

At first, other makers laughed at me.
Why take on such troublesome work?

But it was so important to my customers
that I decided to do what I could.

The materials for the new bags have arrived at his studio.

The gangway material has been thoroughly washed.

To begin, he stamps out the pattern with a special cutting press.

To avoid waste, he keeps the spacing as tight as possible.

Now to remove any fine dirt or stains.

This material has a unique odor.
It's the smell of the subway.

He sews three of the panels together.

This forms the bottom and sides of the new bag.

The corners take the most hits.

They're where the fabric
wears thin or tears.

But this material is strong,
and cleans easily with a damp cloth.

It's nearly complete.

And after temporarily attaching the ring strap with tape...

...it's sewn onto the bag.

It's a process requiring great care, so he has to stay focused.

A mistake here, and the bag is useless.
It's the most stressful step.

Old bits of a subway car, reborn as a practical and good-looking shoulder bag.

A ring strap affixed at just the right height for a child to grab on to.

Its creators' hope: that tantalizing ring, finally in reach, will add a little extra excitement to an outing with mom and dad.

I feel like it's the culmination
of everything I've ever done.

Used with care, a well-made product
can be upcycled again and again.

It can truly last a lifetime.

If people buy upcycled Osaka bags
and wear them on the train, that would make me very happy.

And if it brings families together, or
improves subway safety, even better.

The subway upcycling project resulted in a number of interesting products...

this table made from a single door...

this sofa made from one of the seats...

... or this handy item.

Now, Takayama is working on a new idea.

I'm thinking of one more design.

Cutting inevitably leaves scraps.

He wants to combine cutouts from the subway material with discarded jeans.

Scraps sewn together with jeans.
I think they'll go well together.

A bit of a younger vibe.

Great idea. Sounds fun.

I really think it'll work.

There's always some waste,
but I hated throwing it away.

It's worth trying to make use of it.

Bright ideas for the future and the skill of a true artisan.

When the two come together, the possibilities are endless.