Kamenoko Tawashi - BE@RBRICK
Kamenoko Tawashi is a well-renowned Japanese brand of cleaning brushes and other cleaning products. Although some may find it a bit strange, the brand is so popular with customers that Medicom eventually reached out to the company to form a collaboration. This collaboration eventually led to the creation of the “BE@RBRICK Kamenoko Tawashi 400%” figure.
Kamenoko Tawashi x BE@RBRICK Collaboration Background
The collaboration between the century-old brush brand and Medicom Toy’s BE@BRICK line of figures began in July 2017 with the release of the Kamenoko Tawashi BE@RBRICK 100% figure. To date, there has only been one unique design created through this collaboration.
Collaboration Planning and Launch
The first announcement of this collaboration came through Medicom Toy’s official website, which also mentions that the figure was made to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Kamenoko Tawashi’s success. Although the figure was originally only released as a 100% figure in July 2017, a larger 400% version of the figure would be released later that year in November.
BE@RBRICK Kamenoko Tawashi 400%
This figure produced for Medicom Toy’s BE@RBRICK line was created to celebrate 110 years of Kamenoko Tawashi, the cleaning brush that has been a must-have for Japanese households since 1907. The design of the figure is heavily inspired by the packaging that the brush comes in, which uses an appealing combination of red and yellow. Although the figure is mainly yellow, red is used on the head, arms, and legs to give it a wonderful sense of balance. The logo for Kamenoko Tawashi is also displayed prominently on the figure’s chest and features a picture of a turtle (kame in Japanese) and the brand’s name written in both kanji and hiragana. The back of the figure also has a special logo on it that commemorates the brand’s 110th anniversary.
Aside from the unique design, the figure also has all of the classic features of a standard BE@RBRICK figure, like a pair of rounded, bear-like ears, a small nose, and articulated limbs that can be moved back and forth. It is also quite large, as the standard size for a 400% BE@RBRICK figure is approximately eleven inches tall.
- Product Name: BE@RBRICK Kamenoko Tawashi 400%
- Series: BE@RBRICK
- Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
- Specifications: Painted and articulated plastic figure
- Height (Approx.): 280 mm
Kamenoko Tawashi Background
Kamenoko Tawashi was originally founded in Tokyo in 1907 by Nishio Shozaemon and began simply with the tawashi, the Japanese term for a scrubber or scouring brush. As years passed, many still swear to Kamenoko Tawashi today, even though their products have essentially gone unchanged over a century later.
Kamenoko Tawashi Background: History
The first product sold by Kamenoko Tawashi was the titular Kamenoko Tawashi. To this day, these scrubbers are made with stiff palm fibers that are woven into a metal wire, creating a product that is perfect for scrubbing vegetables, dishes, and dirty surfaces. In 1915, not even ten years after the company was founded, Kamenoko Tawashi founded Tawashi Day, which is now celebrated every year on July 2nd. After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Kamenoko Tawashi building was damaged, resulting in the company moving to Kitatoshima, another nearby district. In the following years and decades, the company would grow larger and build several workshops across the country. New products other than the classic tawashi would be made as well. Such products include other variants of the tawashi that can be used as a body scrubber as well as sponges and soaps.
Kamenoko Tawashi Background: Reception
After over 110 years of selling hardly anything but scrubbers, Kamenoko Tawashi is still considered to be a household staple in Japan. While the scrubbers from this company are simply very easy to come by and are generally fairly inexpensive, many find this scrubber great because it is both incredibly effective and versatile. More importantly, particularly in recent times, the Kamenoko Tawashi scrubbers are made mainly with biodegradable and easily recyclable materials. In other words, it is a great option for those who are trying to be environmentally conscious about the products they buy.
Other Notable Kamenoko Tawashi Collaborations
Aside from Medicom Toy, Kamenoko Tawashi has collaborated with a few other companies to create a small selection of unique products as well. One example can be found in their merchandise section, which includes a pair of “Kamenoko Jump” socks. These socks were created as a joint effort with Sock Guy, a California-based company that focuses on creating high-performance socks that are perfect for everyone. Other brands like Beams Japan and United Arrows have also collaborated with the company to create sponges with the company’s respective logos on them.
Related Figures
Those interested in collecting memorabilia of popular Japanese brands might want to look at several other BE@RBRICK figures that Medicom Toy has produced throughout the years. Some examples include the traditional Japanese tabi sock brand, Fukusuke, as well as several Japanese streetwear brands like Atmos, Loopwheeler, and more.
Links
BE@RBRICK Kamenoko Tawashi 400%
BE@RBRICK Series
Fukusuke - BE@RBRICK
Atmos - BE@RBRICK
Loopwheeler - BE@RBRICK
BE@BRICK Label