Origami-Inspired Pet Houses That Will Give Your Furry Friend A Stylish Abode Created By These Japanese Designers

There are many beds and homes for pets out there; however, it's often difficult to find one that would suit the aesthetic of your home. That's why Japanese companies Netco and TENEO decided to do this project. They designed a home for pets based on traditional Japanese origami.

The homes are made from a foldable eco-friendly strain of cardboard and are comfortable and stylish. So if you want to bring some traditional Japanese style and comfort into your home and give your small dog or cat a cozy and safe place to sleep in, think about supporting this idea!

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Here is some more information about Makuake: "Established in 2013, Makuake is Japan’s go-to platform where makers and consumers are empowered to create a world where innovation flourishes. To date, over 15,000 new products and services have been launched on Makuake, positively impacting a vast variety of sectors from household goods, fashion, technology, education, restaurants, beverages, fragrance, hygiene, beauty, micro-mobility, entertainment, art, cooking tools and more.

Initially established as a crowdfunding platform, Makuake has challenged both the crowdfunding and e-commerce market by creating a new way of shopping that is holistic and meaningful. Backed by quarterly access of over 10M unique users and a repeat purchase rate of over 70%, Makuake’s track record speaks for itself and validates its standing as a game-changer. Makuake’s screening process of launched products and services ensures reliability for customers that revel in being able to shop from the birthplace of innovation.

Makuake also supports makers ranging the full spectrum from highly traditional businesses with over 100 years of craftsmanship history to global companies such as CANON that seek to innovate in their industry and reach the right audience. Now seeking to go beyond Japan, we welcome you to the global version of the site so that savvy consumers such as yourself from around the world can also get first access to Japan’s greatest creations."

The designers tell us why this design is good for your pets: "We believe that any products which people find beautiful and interesting can also be shared with pets. In addition, we think the unique geometric structure, which is rarely seen in our daily lives, stimulates the intellectual curiosity of pets in a different way than excitement."

They share how they came up with the designs: "We were inspired by Professor Jun Mitani's origami artwork. He is currently a professor of Information and Systems at Tsukuba University. His research includes computational origami design, or simply origami designing with computer software. The spherical and 3D origami is a new-concept origami and the base idea came from his artwork."

The designers answer a question often asked: whether this product is good for destructive pets. "Yes. It is okay for them to chew or play around with the product. However, we do not recommend using this product for pets with EXTREME destructive urges or large pets. It is expected to last for about 6 months to 1 year. However, it will depend on the usage of pets."

They share why they chose to do this home in a traditional Japanese style: "Not only were we inspired by origami, but we wanted to produce a product which strongly represented Japanese traditional culture. Origami is very unique content and globally well-known and we believed that it will be an iconic product allowing people to instantly think about Japan. Through our Japanese culture, we aim to blend the Japanese traditional culture into our modern lifestyles."

"We believe it is important for us to make our products cyclical, both physically (sustainability) and mentally (positive emotions). We hope to create a positive physical and emotional cycle by using recyclable materials with low environmental impact, and by satisfying pets and their owners through product purchase and donations," said the designers when asked what their main goals are.

"We wanted to create a product that could be used in our daily lives, but also to be interesting and culturally relevant, such as paintings or an art piece that we would want to have as an interior. From that point of view, we felt that the geometric and contemporary structure of origami was a perfect fit for this project."

They tell us more about themselves: "TENEO, a company which we also direct, is an apparel brand which focuses on 'function' and 'culture.' As an extension of the brand's pillar of 'bringing traditional Japanese culture into a new form that blends in with everyday life,' we have been working with traditional Japanese pottery craftsmen to create gas mask-shaped vases, and with traditional woodworkers to create a new form of clothing. For example, we are working with a traditional potter to make a gas mask-shaped vase, and with a craftsman to update traditional woodwork patterns for use in other products.

The company in charge of the actual product production is called Nouvelle Vague. It is a VE (visual effects) company that usually creates stage/theatrical property for TV commercials and movies, and also plans and produces movies and other visual effects. They have also created sets for Hollywood movies and other non-Japanese movies and are involved in a wide range of activities, including building a full-scale permanent set for the Shibuya Center Street intersection.

Professor Mitani, who provided us with the original origami development diagrams, is a professor of Information and Systems at the University of Tsukuba University. His research includes Computer Graphics, CAD, Human-Computer Interface, Computational Origami. As part of his research, he has a deep knowledge of origami and has written many books on the subject. He has published many books on origami and is actively participating in origami exhibitions in Japan and abroad."

If you're interested in getting one of these houses or any other Japanese product, here's some more info for you: "Makuake has launched a global version of the shopping site where products made by makers from Japan are now available to consumers around the world."