Object of Desire: Poetic Takes on the “Paper” Bag by Kazumi Takigawa

The only thing better than a simple brown-paper package? An anti-disposable version.

All of us on the Remodelista team recently bookmarked these waxed canvas bags by artist Kazumi Takigawa, made-to-last takes on the humble paper bag. Simple on first glance, they’re “hand-dyed with coffee, tea, iron, and other natural pigments to evoke the tone of craft paper,” according to Building Block in LA (which is currently hosting a pop-up of Takigawa’s work), “then meticulously sewn and waxed by hand in her Kyoto studio. The result is an object that is made to last and grows more beautiful with time.” Have a look.

Photography via Building Block, except where noted.

Above: Takigawa’s utilitarian waxed-canvas bags are an inventive take on a familiar form. If you’re in LA, stop by the pop-up at Building Block, now through the end of the year.  Above: The Funagata 005 Waxed Canvas Bag is made in Japan; $155 from Moth Chicago. “Each bag is finished with a waxed treatment, which will soften and fade slightly over time. To stiffen the bag again, and to remove the appearance of fine lines, simply iron lightly or warm the bag with a hot hair dryer and allow to cool.” Photograph via Moth Chicago. Above: A woven basket from a previous collaboration with Building Block. Above: For more, head to Kazumi Takigawa.

More artfully made objects of desire:

• Ethereal Hanging Textiles from Twenty One Tonnes
• Forged Iron Homewares, As Seen In Stissing House
• Tortuga Forma Lanterna Counterweight