TOHOKU OUEN Charity Free Market at Shimokitazawa Tokyo

More than 3 months have past after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake in Japan. At first the mass media reported massively how the devastated areas were, but its information is now gradually becoming less and less. But the victims are still there, that many of them lost their homes and family members. You know, life goes on, and they need to recover, and need help.

Tavatabito and LIFE AND BOOKS are planning to hold a charity free market, "TOHOKU OUEN HOKUOH FREE MARKET" in Tokyo. They are calling for Scandinavian goods to be sold at the free market, and its sales will be all donated to the Red Cross. They called me to send some products for the event and Aika Felt Works also takes part in!

One of the organiser said to me, "It would be the best if you can collect and send Finnish design that are regarded as garbages there; packages of ice cream, newspaper, advertising letters, and so on that Finnish people throw away after their use. I believe that Japanese would buy them if they are 1 Euro or 5 Euros, because of the good design!".

I like the idea! It's funny to send such free things, Finnish garvages, to Japan paying expensive postage, but these things must raise some smiles and they would be used with idea and love, and moreover those sales will help the victims.

I've sent a package. These are some of the things that I thought they were good Finnish designs:

SUOMALAINEN shampoo & conditioner empty bottles

Salmiakki (salty liquorice) empty packages

Ice cream empty boxes. Forest berry flavors, one is cloudberry which grows in the Arctic, swamp area, and the other is probably vaccinium oxycoccos, which grows also in swamp. I think these tastes are very Finnish!

Egg package. This recycled paper packages are used in many countries, but not in Japan. We have noisy, plastic package there, and I was so impressed to see this paper version when I came to Finland.

And of course I included my felt product, OSAMPO BAG. I offer them with good price without customs and shipping cost!


The event information:
Date：Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd, July, 2011　/　12:00～18:00
Place：Natural Laundry at Shimokitazawa
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main organisers：Tavatabito × LIFE AND BOOKS
Donation to the Red Cross.

Come along!!