Update: Wieki Somers Visits Echizen Washi Region
The Jury’s Special Prize collaboration of MONO MAKERS PROGRAM 2026 between Wieki Somers and Yamagishi Washi Inc. is now entering a new stage of exploration and development.
In July 2026, Wieki travelled to Japan and visited the Echizen Washi region in Fukui Prefecture, accompanied by the team at Yamagishi Washi. The visit offered an opportunity to experience the world of washi firsthand and to discover the people, techniques and materials that will inform their ongoing collaboration.
Discovering Echizen Washi
Drawing on Yamagishi Washi’s long-standing network as a local washi wholesaler, Wieki visited a diverse range of washi makers and workshops across the region.
From machine-made paper to traditionally hand-pulped washi, each visit revealed different approaches to making and different qualities within the material. Wieki was able to see how techniques have been passed down through generations, while also discovering the individual character and expertise of each maker.
Experiencing the production process at its source provided a deeper understanding of washi beyond the finished sheet of paper. The visit highlighted the relationship between material, technique and the people who continue to preserve and develop this craft.
From Exploration to Ideas
In the afternoon, the group returned to Yamagishi Washi to continue discussions around the collaborative project. Together, they reviewed a selection of washi samples and exchanged ideas for potential products and applications.
For Wieki, encountering such a wide range of materials and production methods opened up new possibilities for the project. The visit allowed ideas to develop through direct engagement with the material, while conversations with the makers offered new perspectives on what was possible.
This process of discovery is an important part of the MONO MAKERS PROGRAM. Rather than starting with a predetermined outcome, the collaboration creates space for designers and makers to learn from one another, experiment and allow new ideas to emerge through the process.
At the centre of the project is an exchange between Wieki Somers’ distinctive design approach and Yamagishi Washi’s knowledge of Japanese papermaking. The Echizen visit brought this exchange into a tangible setting, connecting the designer with the material, its makers and the region where the craft has developed over generations.
As the collaboration continues, these discoveries will become the foundation for further experimentation and development. The ideas explored during the visit are only the beginning, as Wieki and Yamagishi Washi continue to investigate the new possibilities that can emerge from washi.
