Press Release
Yutaro Kumagai Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Ringo Gamaguchi Clasp Purse in Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
Yutaro Kumagai acknowledged for sustainable products, projects and green design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 15, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Ringo Gamaguchi Clasp Purse by Yutaro Kumagai, designed for Appcycle, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
More About Ringo Gamaguchi Clasp Purse
This product takes the shape of an apple because it is crafted from Ringo Tex, a synthetic leather derived from apple waste. Its dimensions are based on the size of a real small apple, emphasizing its origin. Its main feature is its slimness, not usually seen among clasp purses. This was achieved by adopting a sewing approach different from conventional purses, allowing the structure to remain thin. The intention was to create a product that can easily fit into bags or pockets, allowing coins and other small items to be carried smartly without adding much bulk.
Award Record
With this recognition, Yutaro Kumagai is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2025 - 2026 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award
The A' Sustainable Product Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good sustainable products by leading designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to sustainable product designers, green product manufacturers, eco-friendly product brands and industrial designers from all countries. Typical entries include sustainable projects, environment friendly designs, recycled, upcycled and bio-degradable products. The awarded sustainable product designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/sustainable-product
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/181064
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181064
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181064
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/379589
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Ringo Gamaguchi Clasp Purse
- Function
- Clasp Purse
- Category
- Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Sustainability
- Colors
- Black, Dim Gray, Dark Slate Gray, Gray and Gainsboro
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Appcycle
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yutaro Kumagai
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #181064
Credits
- Team
- Kei Fujimaki, Shohei Hatakeyama, Fumio Sudo and Ryokan Abe
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This clasp purse utilizes "Ringo-Tex" a bio-based leather developed by appcycle Inc. in Aomori, Japan's largest apple producing region. Around 20,000 tons of apple residue is produced each year, much of it discarded or incinerated, contributing to CO2 emissions. Ringo-Tex upcycles this waste into synthetic leather through a low-carbon stabilization process. Molded into a 3D apple form expressing it's origin uniting symbolism and craftsmanship while inviting participation in a sustainable society.
- Inspiration
- This product is the first release of "Golden Seed" a brand created to embody appcycle's philosophy of "circulation". With the concept of "sowing regenerative seeds and facing a golden future" it expresses Aomori's identity it's apples in a cute, friendly, and accessible way. With refined construction intricate and meticulous stitching reflect the depth of Japanese craftsmanship.
- Research
- Ringo-Tex is created by processing apple residue into power and using it as a raw material, reducing petroleum-based inputs in manufacturing by 72 - 74%. This approach lowers the dependence on finite fossil resources and decreases environmental impact. It maintains the durability and water resistance comparable to existing synthetic leather, offering a upcycled next-generation bio-based material that balances sustainability with practical performance.
- Challenge
- The greatest challenge in developing this product was achieving the bumpy texture and stitching applied to complement it. While embossing genuine leather is relatively easy due to it’s elasticity, plant-based synthetic leather is difficult to shape and sew because it lacks these properties. After six months of collaboration with multiple companies and testing we succeeded in creating the texture using a proprietary welder process. It is the product’s most charming yet challenging feature.
- Realization and Technology
- The product is built from four key materials: a clasp frame, Ringo-Tex bio-based leather, an electroformed nameplate, and lining. While the clasp is standard, molding Ringo-Tex is far more demanding than working with genuine leather and required six months of research. Stitching along the complex contours demonstrates Japanese craftsmanship. The gold seed motif, mass-produced by molding, defines the brand’s elegant identity.
- Operation and Interaction
- A clasp purse with a push lock to store and carry small items such as coins, AirTags and SD cards.
- Project Duration and Location
- The Project was started in 2025 Aomori and was unveiled in Tokyo in January 2026 as the debut product of the Golden Seed brand. For the next phase the team plans to launch a crowdfunding campaign followed by expansion into online platforms and retail stores both in Japan and internationally.
- Specifications
- W80mm x D19mm x H90mm
- Keywords
- Apple, Apples, Aomori, Japan, Nippon, Bio-leather, Synthetic leather, coin case, purse, clasp purse, kiss-lock, push-lock, accessory, sustainability, vegan leather, appcycle, upcycle, ethical, multifunctional bag, circulation
