mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
Episode 37
What Is mizutori’s Identity?
Even now,
there are moments when we hesitate.
As mizutori,
what must we continue to protect?
And what,
do our customers truly expect
from us?
The cost of materials in manufacturing
has been steadily rising year after year.
The materials involved in making geta
are no exception.
At mizutori as well,
the reality of having to consider
a price revision
is becoming increasingly clear.
And yet,
we continue to ask ourselves
whether there is any way
to deliver our products
at the same prices as before.
On the workshop floor,
and at our desks,
we keep searching for answers.
At the same time,
alongside our existing collections,
we have been developing products
at a slightly more accessible price range.
mizutori’s footwear
is built upon natural materials
and processes carried out by human hands.
Because of that,
there are limits
to how much we can reduce costs
simply to lower the price.
What can be pared down?
And what must never be compromised?
The comfort of the footwear itself.
Designs that integrate naturally into daily life.
A spirit of challenging new ideas.
A form of craftsmanship sustained through collaboration.
As we continued reflecting,
our attention returned
once again
to the material of wood.
Wood possesses
a distinct sensation
that sneakers or leather shoes do not.
Its warmth shifts with the seasons.
Its expression changes
with the time shared
by the person who wears it.
At the same time,
working with natural materials
inevitably brings
additional labor and material loss.
What would happen
if we set aside, even temporarily,
the premise of using wood?
At first,
we tried to retain wood in some way.
But eventually,
we arrived at a prototype
of footwear that used no natural wood at all.
At a recent exhibition,
we displayed it experimentally
and asked for opinions
from customers who know mizutori well.
Among their responses,
one comment
remains deeply with us.
“This is something
mizutori doesn’t necessarily have to make.”
As footwear,
it felt acceptable.
And yet,
it did not feel like mizutori.
That, we believe,
was the meaning behind those words.
Compared to our existing products,
the comfort was good.
If we considered price alone,
it might have been
a reasonable option to offer.
And yet,
it differed slightly
from what people expect
from mizutori.
When we heard those words,
to be honest,
our uncertainty deepened.
But at the same time,
it felt as though
something important had been entrusted to us.
And strangely,
it also brought a quiet sense of gratitude.
Within our customers,
there is something definite
that they seek from mizutori.
We want to respond to that.
That desire feels
a little stronger now
than before.
It is not an easy path.
And yet,
while protecting mizutori’s individuality and identity,
we want to continue searching
for what lies beyond.
To remain unchanged,
we must continue to change.
Holding both truths at once,
pair by pair,
we will keep creating —
seeking our answer
as mizutori.
