From City Streets to Outdoor Trails! Muji Explores New Frontiers with Its Water-Repellent Ripstop Backpack

When you think of a Muji backpack, a minimalist design, stripped of all non-essentials, likely comes to mind. But this season, the new Water-Repellent Ripstop Backpack is turning heads with a fresh look that sets it apart from Muji's classic lineup, featuring details like side drawcords and mesh pockets.

How did they decide to refresh their traditional image? We sat down with Suguru Miura, from the Bag division of the Apparel and General Merchandise Department at Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd., and Shintaro Fujikawa, a designer from the same department, to discuss the story behind its development and the specific details they focused on.

The Spark of an Idea: Bridging the Gap Between Everyday Life and Outdoor Adventures

Why have Muji's backpacks remained so consistently popular? "As a general rule, we avoid creating products that are limited to a specific user or scenario," explains Miura, who headed the project. However, he also admits that there were areas their existing product range didn't quite reach.

"With lifestyles becoming more diverse, we saw a growing demand for a product that could transition from daily use to leisure activities like travel, music festivals, and outdoor adventures. The outdoor category, in particular, was an area we hadn't fully catered to."

"The development process kicked off with a simple question: Instead of designing strictly for daily use or for the outdoors, could we create a backpack that bridges the \"gap\" between them?" says Miura.

Ripstop Fabric: Balancing the Lightness and Durability Demanded by the Outdoors

The key to development was balancing "lightness" and "durability"—two features essential for outdoor gear. To strike this balance, the team chose ripstop fabric.

"Ripstop fabric is inherently not just lightweight but also highly resistant to tearing. For this particular product, we chose a thin, 50-denier fabric and further increased its lightness by using minimal lining."

"Muji is also committed to actively using recycled materials. This backpack has a nylon base, with polyester fibers woven into the grid pattern, and the outer shell is made from 100% recycled materials," says Fujikawa.

The fabric's water-repellent properties are another key feature.

"It's not just about shedding rain. The peace of mind you get from a water-repellent feature in various outdoor settings is completely different, so this was a detail we really focused on," Fujikawa adds.

A Fresh Design That Stays True to the Muji Aesthetic

Another bold step for this backpack was its design, which clearly diverges from the brand's traditional style.

"Customers seeking outdoor gear tend to prioritize function, but if we focused too heavily on technical features, we'd risk sacrificing the versatility that is so central to Muji's philosophy, making the bag less suitable for daily use. At the same time, we wanted to introduce a new design element that Muji hadn't explored before. Finding the right balance was a real challenge," explains Fujikawa.

The drawcords at the top opening and on the sides are key design accents.

"A drawcord opening makes it easier to access your belongings. The cords on the sides also let you securely fasten longer items, like a folding umbrella, in the side pockets for stable transport. Plus, you can adjust the pack's shape based on how much you're carrying, which makes it incredibly versatile for different situations," says Fujikawa.

In addition, a mesh pocket on the front provides easy access, perfect for stashing items you need to grab on the go.

A Versatile Color Palette for Everyday Style

The "from daily life to the great outdoors" concept extends to the color palette. Alongside classic black, the lineup includes on-trend colors like mocha brown, light green, and white. (*Note: Mocha brown, light green, and white are currently discontinued).

"To give our bag collection a fresh, new feel, we selected accent colors from the seasonal palette that we haven't used much before," said Miura.

While enhancing the design, we managed to hit the 4,990 yen price point by streamlining components. We're also seeing a growing number of customers buying the bag in multiple colors.

"Introducing a design that's a departure from our usual style was a bold move for us, but we've had young customers say things like, 'This is the first time I've ever wanted to buy a bag from MUJI.' We feel we've successfully connected with a new audience," Miura shares.

MUJI's backpacks have built a loyal following not by adding flashy, special features, but by relentlessly pursuing everyday usability. It's this masterful balance of everyday and outdoor use, function and simplicity, and price and quality that keeps people coming back for more. This time around, they've added a dash of design flair, successfully appealing to a whole new customer base. It looks like we can expect even more design-focused options in the future.