Found MUJI Celebrates German Craftsmanship With a New Collection of Useful Objects

The collection is the latest incarnation of the series of "found" objects that Muji has sourced from all over the world—and then reproduced so that the consumer can have access to the functional design objects they find. In this case, the essence of the German maker culture is retained as they've taken classic handmade German objects and re-tailored them for modern living. 

The collection is an ode to artisans and craftspeople of Germany’s brush-making, woodworking, and printing industries, as well  the country’s rich culinary scene and world-class breweries. This includes a vocabulary of intricate woodwork, natural fibers, burly glassware, utilitarian stationary, and other modest kitchenwares. Like the handmade objects that preceded them, the pieces in the bespoke anthology appear as if they were made by the hands of an artisan, or at the very least, to be used by the hands of an artisan.  

Harking back to the country's longstanding tradition of arts and crafts, Muji collaborated with craftspeople in Dessau, the town where the Bauhaus movement set up their second schoolhouse after relocating from Weimar. Besides functioning as a school, the institution also worked with local makers who were manufacturing airplanes and urban developers that were designing apartment complexes. The three large "box-type" school buildings, which straddle the public road, aptly indicate the intimate connection between the Bauhaus movement and the region's culture of craftsmanship.  

"This collection honors the uniqueness of German culture and history, representing an appreciation for international design," says Toru Tsunoda, President of MUJI USA.

As an homage to the traditions ingrained within the objects themselves, the collection explores the practice of making, as well as culinary pastimes. The series includes items without frills including a white ceramic egg coddler, a plastic blueprint case, a diverse range of handmade brushes, and an assortment of beer glassware. 

You can find the Found MUJI Germany collection at MUJI’s Fifth Avenue Flagship in New York City for a limited time, beginning Thursday, July 13.