2025.03.18
"The Finished Product Always Surpasses Imagination" – Fuyuki Shimazu Collects Cardboard from Around the World and Transforms It into Wallets
Discarded cardboard casually thrown away on the streets and in front of stores. Fuyuki Shimazu shines as a “cardboard picker,” collecting materials that many overlook and transforming them into wallets, bags, and other creations. His atelier in Shibuya and the workshops held domestically and internationally attract large crowds each time.
I spoke with him about the appeal of cardboard, the detailed process behind creating a cardboard wallet, and his personal dedication to the craft.
PROFILE
Fuyuki Shimazu
Born in 1987. After graduating from Tama Art University and working at an advertising agency, he became an artist. While still in university in 2009, he made a makeshift wallet from cardboard he found at home, which sparked his journey into creating cardboard wallets. In 2018, the documentary film "旅するダンボール" directed by Ryusuke Okajima was released, premiering at SXSW (USA) before going on a nationwide theatrical release in Japan. He has authored "段ボールはたからもの 偶然のアップサイクル" (Kashiwa Shobo) and "段ボール財布の作り方" (Boutique). Since 2023, he has served as a part-time lecturer at Yokohama University of Art.
Attracted to the Warmth of the Design
I understand that you started making works from cardboard while attending Tama Art University.
Yes. During my second year studying information design, I made my first wallet from cardboard at home. My wallet had become tattered, and I didn’t have money to buy a new one, so I decided to make one as a temporary fix. I cut the cardboard while referencing other wallets and glued it with adhesive and double-sided tape... I thought it would last a month, but it ended up lasting a whole year. I was incredibly surprised.Share Article
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