Independence after meeting

Tomi became a shop owner for the first time at the age of 23. After working part-time at "Mame," a clothing specialty store in Osu that specializes in hemp, the owner of the store at the time approached her with the idea of starting her own business.

-Please tell us about your first encounter with "ma-ma".

Tomi: "It all started with the Fuji Rock Festival. I applied as a volunteer to help sort trash and support the festival, and I thought the conditions were good because it included lodging.

FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL had been actively working on environmental issues since that time and was called "the cleanest festival in the world". I think it was around the time when the keyword "eco" was becoming widely known.

In talking with senior volunteers, an opportunity arose to get a lot of information about environmental issues. At that time, when I produced clothes, I bought fabric, used it, and threw it away. But through the festival, my awareness changed.

Even after FUJI ROCK, I have been paying attention to events related to environmental issues, and I participated in Earth Day Nagoya held in Aichi Prefecture. That's where I came across 'Mame'. ”

-How was “Mame” linked to environmental issues?

Tomi: "Mame" is a store that dealt in casual brands and other items specializing in hemp. In addition to clothing, the store also sold sundries made from Nepal hemp and other hemp threads, as well as edible hemp seeds. Do you know hemp is a excellent plant?

It is a plant that is resistant to pests and does not require pesticides or chemical fertilizers for cultivation, and it grows to the point where it can be harvested in 100 days. For example, the seeds are used as food and cosmetics, the stems are used as fiber and fuel, and the roots are used as soil conditioners.

I started a part-time job at "Mame" because it has little burden on the environment and has many benefits for us humans, which matches my interests. ”

-After working part-time at "Mame", you became independent as a shop owner at the age of 23.

Tomi: "I was troubled when the owner at the time approached me about becoming independent. It was something I had never thought of, and I wondered if I could do it. But every time I talked to my friends about it, they all said, 'You should do it.' I was told that opportunities like this don't come around that often.

Indeed, when I thought about it, even if things didn't work out and I ended up in debt, I would be 28 years old in five years. I thought that I could make it work, and I agreed to do so.

The 1st floor was used as a shop to sell the clothes I made and purchased, while the 2nd floor was used as a gallery and live house, where 12 live performances were held a month. Until I closed the shop at the age of 30, I was able to get to know a wide variety of people, which has become my fortune. ”

-You launched your own “toi designs” at the same time that you closed “Mame” at the age of 30.

Tomi: "When I was 30, it was the year of the sheep. I had always been attracted to sheep, so I thought it was a good time to make a break. Sheep are also excellent animals in many ways, such as providing us with their wool to make use of. Maybe that's part of the reason I like them.

I launched "toi designs" as a "traveling clothing store" without a store. I already had plans to hold fashion shows overseas, so I thought it would be an advantage not to have a storefront so that I could actively engage in our activities."

-After that, you opened "Toi Designs" in 2017.

Tomi: "Originally, there was an atelier near Higashiyama Park. I happened to get information that there was a good property, which led to the flow of opening an atelier and store."

Reach and connect with as many people as possible

-Please tell us about your future prospects.

Tomi: "I believe that we cannot start without communicating any kind of information. I convey the thoughts I put into my products through conversations with those who visit my store.

Crops (cloth), a blessing we receive from the earth, are spun, carefully worn, and finally returned to the earth. All things are finite. I strongly feel the need to create a flow of circulation and regeneration.

If it remains in the corner of your head somewhere, the message sent by "toi designs" will spread.

In addition, the products selected by Toi Designs are all products that are friendly to people and the environment, such as clothing made from locally grown natural materials and fair trade, with a recycling system in place.

For example, there are people who harvest and process the ingredients that we eat for lunch. That person may be on the other side of the earth. I want to spread awareness to live while recognizing that the society in which I live and the earth are all connected. ”

An activity called “Share Seeds” to share seeds (indigenous species, fixed species, self-collection)

Through this interview, we learned the meaning of "circulation." We receive cloth and yarn from plants, animals, and other living things, wear them with care, and then return them to the earth. Then we, human beings, enjoy the blessings again.

Why not use pesticides, why not use synthetic fibers? We realized that it is because it is a choice we have to go through in order not to use it up once and for all.

We understood that the more we use it for a long time, the farther away we are from "wear and tear," and the more we can live a gentle life in harmony with not only people but also everything that lives on the earth.

It may be difficult to suddenly change everything in our daily lives. However, when the word "circulation" comes to mind, we would like to "choose not to throw away" and "choose to reuse."

thank you Tomi!