USHIWAKA Special Feature ① Why we decided to make even setta at Nanafu

Hello, this is Morishima, manager of Nanafu.

Starting April 4th, the "USHIWAKA" (New Structural Leather Setta) will be available for pre-order (support) through crowdfunding on Makuake. Why did Nanafu decide to make setta? Today, I'd like to tell you that story.

An idea four years in the making

The impetus came from customer feedback.

"I wish Nanafu would release setta."
"I want you to make sandals too."

As we received these comments, the desire within us grew to "create something unprecedented if Nanafu were to make it."

This idea had been brewing for about four years, since the brand's second year. However, we couldn't release something half-baked. There would be no point in releasing something with the same problems as existing setta. That's what I thought, and I had been waiting for the right opportunity.

Someone in Asakusa addressing the same problem

The turning point was meeting KUTSUNE, a shoemaker who is the third generation in his family to work in Asakusa.

I heard that his journey into tackling this problem began with a conversation with a monk. When he was planning shoes for monks, he received a comment that said:

"I often wear setta, but they are very tiring."

Why are setta tiring?
KUTSUNE began to investigate the structure of setta.

Setta are not designed to perfectly fit the shape of the foot.
Also, to prevent them from slipping off, they are often worn with a smaller sole to hold the instep, which can easily cause the foot and setta to shift direction with each step. Furthermore, with each step, the foot lifts slightly, making it easy to put pressure on the toes, leading to fatigue after walking for long periods.

That is also part of what makes setta unique. It's "iki" (stylish) precisely because it maintains its ancient form. However, for those who wear them for long periods, they were undeniably tiring footwear.

KUTSUNE confronted this problem head-on. Can we make them more stable and easier to walk in, while retaining the essence of setta? This thought led to an idea. That was the "loop-shaped thong structure."

Where two brands converged

Just when Nanafu was thinking "we want to create new setta that can be worn every day," KUTSUNE in Asakusa was nurturing the idea of "changing the structure of setta."

We had already become acquainted through the president of a factory that manufactures yukata wear, but when KUTSUNE asked us "if we could create something together," I immediately thought, "this is it."

What we had been looking for was already taking shape.
Last year, the project between our two companies began.

The meaning of creating with Nanafu

You can wear them on days when you wear Japanese clothing. You can also wear them on days when you wear Western clothing.

A modern and urban design that only Nanafu can offer.

Light and able to walk anywhere.
Even after a long walk, the way home is enjoyable.

We want to create and deliver such magical setta as Nanafu.
We are making preparations with this in mind.

Please look forward to it.

Next time, I will specifically explain what makes USHIWAKA structurally different from existing setta.